


To Begin Anew

by Bluepearl_765



Series: The Life & Times of Padfoot & Moony [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Godfather Remus Lupin, Godfather Sirius Black, M/M, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, POV Harry Potter, POV Multiple, POV Remus Lupin, POV Sirius Black, Remus Lupin Needs a Hug, Sirius Black Needs a Hug, Swearing, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-02-12 19:57:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12967248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluepearl_765/pseuds/Bluepearl_765
Summary: Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Remus all find themselves in the Shrieking Shack facing one of the most dangerous wizards alive, Sirius Black. Strangely enough, Black doesn't seem to be as dangerous as The Daily Prophet has been reporting. In fact, his story doesn't quite line up with the story everyone believes to be true. Can it be, Sirius Black has been innocent and rotting away in Azkaban for twelve years? What happens when they uncover the truth and realize someone believed to be dead has been lurking in the shadows this entire time. Will Sirius' named be cleared? Will Harry finally get to experience the family he should have had from the beginning? Will Remus be able to overcome past mistakes and learn to love again? Dusk is beginning to fall. The full moon will soon rise. The lives of everyone here tonight will never be the same.





	1. A Black Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction. Sirius Black is one of my favorite characters. I always believed he deserved a better fate. I have had this idea in my head for months and finally decided write it. It begins as a rewrite of what unfolded the night in the Shrieking Shack. However, in later chapters, I plan to tell my own story. Any feedback is appreciated.

The room looked as if it hadn’t been inhabited in years. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. The wallpaper was peeling off the walls. The windows were all boarded up. The only piece of furniture that didn’t appear to have been mauled by some wild animal, was a magnificent four-poster bed. On the bed lay Crookshanks, looking rather proud of himself. On the floor beside the large cat, clutching what was likely a broken leg, was Ron.

“Ron, are you alright?”

 “Where’s the dog?” Harry and Hermione gasped, darting over to Ron.

 “Not…not a dog," Ron said through gritted teeth. His eyes were wide with fear and were fixed behind Harry. “Harry, it’s a trap —”

 “What —” Harry asked perplexed.

 “He’s the dog… he’s an Animagus,” Ron said pointing towards the door.

 Turning around, Harry saw a man hiding in the shadows slam the door shut. The man reeked of death. His skin was waxy and stretched tightly. His long black hair was filthy and matted. His eyes were sunken in, and his teeth were yellow. He looked like a corpse. It was Sirius Black.

 “Expelliarmus!” he croaked, disarming both Harry and Hermione.

With their wands grasped firmly in his hand, he took a step closer to Harry.

 “I knew you would come and save your friend,” he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as if it wasn’t accustomed to being used.

“You are a lot like your father Harry. James would have done the same for me. I’m grateful you didn’t run to get a teacher. It will make everything much easier.”

Harry suddenly was filled with rage. How dare this man speak of his father when he betrayed them. Any fear Harry once had now vanished. He wasn’t afraid. No, he was vengeful. He wanted Black to pay for what he had done. This man was the reason he had no family. Without any hesitation, Harry began to move forward.

“Harry, no- “ Hermione whispered pulling Harry back towards her.

“If you want to kill Harry, you will have to kill all three of us,” Ron exclaimed attempting to stand up.

Sirius shifted his eyes towards Ron. Something flickered in his eyes. Was it concern? Guilt?

“You need to lie back down. You’ll damage that leg even more,” Sirius softly said.

“As if you care, since you were the one who damaged it. Make it easier for you to kill Harry with my bloody leg being broken and all," Ron cried out.

“I came here tonight for one person alone, and it is none of you," Sirius replied.

“HA! I find that hard to believe," Harry spat. Wrenching himself free from Hermione’s grasp.  “You betrayed my Mum and Dad. You killed Peter Pettigrew. You blew up that entire street full of muggles. All for Voldemort.”

“No, you must listen to me. You don’t understand," Sirius warned, eyes wide with concern.

“I don’t understand? I think I understand perfectly. You’re the reason my parents are dead," said Harry, voice beginning to shake. “You’ve never had to listen to her beg. My mum. It is one of the only memories I have of her. Begging for my life to be spared. You did that. YOU!” Harry roared, lunging towards Black.

Perhaps it was the shock of this scrawny, defenseless, thirteen-year-old attempting to take down a full-grown man. Or maybe, Sirius really didn’t mean Harry any harm. Whatever it was, he did not raise the wand to defend himself. Harry’s knuckle collided with the side of Sirius’ jaw as they both tumbled into the floor.

Harry pinned Sirius to the floor and grabbed the wands that had fallen out of Sirius’ hand. Harry now had a wand pointed at his face.

 “Harry, I don’t deny that I am to blame for James’ and Lily’s deaths, but you must let me explain," Sirius pleaded hoarsely.

Before Harry had a chance to reply, Crookshanks had leapt unto Sirius’ chest. The cat looked up at Harry with its great yellow eyes and hissed defensively. Behind Harry, Hermione let out a shaky sob.

Wand still being held with a death’s grip, Harry stared down at Sirius and Crookshanks. If he wanted to kill Black, he would have to kill the cat too. And so what? The cat obviously was protecting him.

However, before Harry even had a chance to consider his next move, footsteps were heard below.

“WE’RE UP HERE!” Hermione shouted. “PLEASE! COME QUICK. SIRIUS BLACK.”

 _Now’s your chance._ A voice said in Harry’s head. _Black is distracted. Do it now._ Yet Harry still couldn’t find the nerve to do it.

The footsteps were getting closer. The door burst open. Harry stood and wheeled around to see Professor Lupin. The color was drained out of Remus’ face, and he had his wand raised in defense. His eyes travelled to Ron hunched over in pain; who was next to Hermione cowering in fear. Then to Harry towering over Sirius; who now was bleeding on the floor.

“Expelliarmus!” Remus shouted.

The wands flew out of Harry’s hand and into Remus’. He moved forward into the room, gaze focused on Sirius. It had been twelve years since he last saw Sirius. And those years had not been kind to the handsome face Remus once knew.

“Where is he Sirius?” Remus asked his heart pounding out of his chest.

Harry was confused. Who was Professor Lupin talking about. He was standing right here. Who else would Black be after? Harry looked down at Sirius.

Sirius’ face seemed to be in shock. He didn’t say or do anything for several seconds. Then, slowly, he pointed his finger straight at Ron. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked quite baffled.  

“But how?” Remus muttered to himself. It can’t be, Peter is dead. _The map never lies,_ a voice said inside Remus’ head. “Why hasn’t he shown himself before….unless…” Remus’ eyes had now widened in understanding. _No, it can’t be. That would mean... Sirius... this entire time - innocent._ The thought was horrifying. He looked at Sirius intently. “You switched? You switched without telling me, and he was the one. Wasn’t he?”

Sirius, whose grey eyes never once had left Remus’ face, slowly nodded.

All the air in Remus’ body left in a rush. All those years Sirius had to endure in Azkaban. Remus should have known. Sirius would never have betrayed James and Lily. Remus’ eyes began to glisten.

“Professor, what exactly is going - ”

However, before Harry could finish his question, Remus had lowered his wand and walked to Sirius’ side. The professor grasped his hand and brought the man to his feet. The two men stared at one another for a split second, and then tightly embraced.

Harry was in complete shock.

“NO, I DON’T BELIEVE IT!” Hermione shrieked.

Both Sirius and Remus let go of one another and turned their attention towards Hermione.

“You and him? How could you? I didn’t tell anyone you know. I covered for you!” Hermione yelled.

“Hermione, you must listen to me. Let me - “Remus began.

“I trusted you,” Harry shouted, shaking with rage. “and you have been friends with him all this time!”

“No, Harry. It has been a long time since I was friends with Sirius. I, like you, thought he betrayed your parents, but I was wrong. You must let us explain,” Remus urged.

 “Harry, no! Don’t listen to him. He’s lying. He’s the one helping Black sneak into the castle. He’s a werewolf!” Hermione exclaimed, pointing at Remus accusingly.

The room had suddenly gone eerily silent. All eyes were now on Remus, who surprisingly looked oddly calm, albeit rather pale.

“Well Hermione, you’re partly correct,” he said. “I have not been helping Sirius into the castle, but I don’t deny that I am a werewolf.”

Ron whimpered in pain, struggling to get up. Remus, looking concerned, started towards him. Ron gasped and shot Remus a dirty look. “Get away from me you werewolf!” he spat.

Sirius looked over at Remus, sadness clouding his gaunt features. Remus winced, and abruptly stopped in his tracks. He made a direct effort in addressing Hermione instead. “How long have you known Hermione?”

“Ages…” Hermione whispered. “Since Professor Snape assigned us the essay…”

“Snape? Surely we aren’t talking about the same greasy -" Sirius quietened after a look from Remus.

“I’m sure Professor Snape will be delighted to hear about your discovery, Hermione,” Remus answered coolly. “It was the reason he assigned the essay. He was hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant. Did you check the lunar chart and realize I was always ill around the full moon? Or perhaps you realized my boggart took the shape of the moon?”

“Both actually,” Hermione admitted.

“You are the cleverest witch of your age,” Remus said with a half-smile.

“If I was so clever, I would have told everyone the truth about you,” Hermione warned.

“But everyone does know the truth. Well, at least the staff knows," said Remus.

“And Dumbledore hired you, knowing you were a werewolf? Is he mad?” Ron cried out.

“Some of the staff had those exact same thoughts, Ron. It took a bit for Professor Dumbledore to reassure certain teachers I was in fact trustworthy," Remus said.

“WELL HE WAS WRONG!” Harry yelled causing Remus to jump. “HOW ELSE WOULD YOU KNOW HE WAS HERE TONIGHT?”

Harry was now pointing at Sirius, whose face began to crumble. He slowly made his way over to the four-poster bed and sank down into it. Bowing his head, he covered his face with shaky hands. Crookshanks leapt up into his lap and began to purr, nuzzling Sirius’ face. Ron, eyes wide in fear, edged away from the bed, dragging his leg. Remus looked over at Sirius. An overwhelming urge to comfort the man overcame him. Yet, he remained where he was.

“No, Harry. I have not been helping Sirius into the castle. Now, let me explain," Remus said, voice slightly rising.

“Here," he said, throwing Harry’s, Ron’s, Hermione’s wand to their respective owners. Remus then took his own wand and stuck it in his back pocket.

“There. You’re armed, and we're not," he stated, holding up his hands. “Now will you please listen to what we have to say?”

Harry was stunned. Was this a trick? Should he believe him? His professor had plenty of opportunities this year to do him harm, but yet he hadn’t. Maybe they should listen to what he had to say.

“Ok, explain how you knew he would be here tonight if you aren’t helping him sneak into the castle,” Harry asked, shooting Sirius a furious glance, whose face was still bowed.

“I saw it on the Marauder’s Map. I was examining it in my office tonight. I thought you three might sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed," Remus said.

“You know how to work the map? How?” Harry interrupted.

“Yes, I know how to work it. I helped write it. I’m Moony – that was my nickname back in school," Remus stated impatiently.

“You helped write – “ Harry said, trying to wrap his head around this new information.

Remus raised his hand up in an attempt to silence Harry. “The important thing is, I was right. You three did sneak out, and I saw your names appear on the map. You may have been wearing James’ cloak, but your name will still show up on the map," Remus said, now pacing the floor.

“How do you know about the cloak?” Harry demanded.

“The number of times I saw James disappear underneath it," Remus said. He remembered the mischievous looks James always got before grabbing the cloak and running off to pull his next prank. There were also all the times he and Sirius stole the cloak to - Remus immediately silenced the thought. “Anyway, the point is I watched you enter Hagrid’s hut. Twenty minutes later you left, but this time you were occupied by someone else.”

“What? No, we weren’t!” Harry exclaimed.

“I couldn’t believe it. I thought maybe the map was wrong. It was impossible he could be with you," Remus said ignoring Harry’s outburst. He would have to in order to finish this story.

“But the map never lies. I then saw a dot moving towards you, labelled Sirius Black. I saw him collide with you, and drag two of you underneath the Whomping Willow –“ Remus was then interrupted once more.

“You’re mental! It was only me Black drug through the tunnel. No one else,” Ron declared angrily.

Remus stopped pacing and sighed. “No, Ron. There were two of you. Would you mind letting me have a look at that rat of yours?” Remus asked, pointing to Scabbers.

“What for?” Ron demanded. “What has Scabbers got to do with this?”

“Everything. Now please, will you let me see him?” Remus asked, extending his hand out.

Ron hesitated for a second. Clearly Professor Lupin had lost his marbles, but he reached inside his pocket anyway. He pulled out a struggling grey rat, one desperately trying to escape. Crookshanks, still sitting on Sirius’ lap, stood up and hissed. Sirius was glaring daggers at Scabbers.

Unaware he had moved, Remus was now crouched in front of Ron, examining Scabbers.

“What’s my rat have to do with anything?” Ron asked again. He was now holding Scabbers close to his chest, looking scared.

“He isn’t a rat,” Sirius said.

“Of course he is a rat. What are you on about?”

Remus shook his head. “No, he isn’t. He’s a wizard."

“An Animagus," Sirius chimed in, a smirk beginning to form. “By the name of Peter Pettigrew.”


	2. A Marauder's Tale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter is up. Hope you enjoy.

The room had gone quiet. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were all trying to process the absurdity of Professor Lupin’s and Black’s statements.

“You both are mental,” Ron said, gawking at the two men.

“It’s absurd,” Hermione muttered.

“Peter Pettigrew is dead!” Harry said. “You killed him twelve years ago." He pointed at Sirius accusingly. For the first time that night, Sirius’ face twisted into something menacing.

“I set out to kill him,” Sirius snarled. “but little Peter got the better of me that night.”

“There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die. A whole street full of them – “Harry began.

“They didn’t see what they thought they saw," Sirius said lowering his voice. 

“Everyone believed Sirius murdered Peter. Sadly, I believed it as well,” Remus said. “That is until tonight when I saw the map. As I've said, the map never lies. Peter is alive and he is in this room. Ron is holding him, Harry." 

Both Ron and Harry exchanged a look. Neither one of them knew if they believed what was being said. Before either of them could ask any further questions, Hermione voiced a concern of her own.

“Professor, Scabbers can’t be Peter Pettigrew. It - it just can’t be true.” 

“Why do you say that, Hermione?” Remus asked calmly.

“Because - Well, we studied about Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. I looked them up when I did the assignment. The Ministry of Magic keeps a record of all wizards and witches who can transform into an animal. It’s a requirement to register. I looked up Professor McGonagall on the registry, and there have only been seven Animagi this century. Pettigrew’s name wasn’t on the list," Hermione explained. 

Remus smiled. Hermione clearly was the brightest witch of her age. “Right again, Hermione. However, the Ministry never knew about the three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts.” 

“Remus, could you please finish this story,” Sirius stated, rolling his eyes. “I waited twelve years to confront Peter. I’m not particularly keen on waiting much longer.”

Remus smirked, remembering how impatient the man used to get. “Alright Sirius, but I’ll need your help. I only know how the story began -“ 

Suddenly, there was a load creak from downstairs and the bedroom door flew open. All five of them stared at it. Then Remus walked over to the door and looked down into the landing. 

“No one is there…” he muttered to himself. 

“This place is haunted,” Ron whimpered.

“It’s not haunted,” Remus said absently, gaze finally leaving the door. “The Shrieking Shack has never been haunted. The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were from me,” Remus said, pushing the greying hairs out of his eyes. It had been years since he thought about his time as a student. After everything that happened, those memories were too painful to revisit. 

“That is where this story begins,” Remus continued. “with my becoming a werewolf. If I hadn’t been bitten, none of this would have occurred.” 

Sirius looked as if he wanted to argue but remained silent. 

“I was a young boy. I had just turned five when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but there wasn’t a cure. Still isn’t one. The potion Professor Snape brews for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, as long as I take it the week preceding the full moon. I still transform, but I am able to keep my mind. I curl up in my office as a harmless wolf and wait for the moon to wane.” 

“Before the discovery of the Wolfsbane Potion, I was a complete monster once every month. My parents thought it would be impossible for me to attend Hogwarts. Parents weren’t likely to feel comfortable having their children exposed to me.” 

“Before I was to start Hogwarts, Dumbledore became headmaster. He was sympathetic towards my lycanthropy. He said that as long as certain precautions were taken, he saw no reason why I shouldn’t attend school,” Remus sighed and looked directly at Harry. “You do remember when I told you the Whomping Willow was planted the year I started Hogwarts?” 

Harry nodded. 

“The truth is, Harry, the Willow was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house,” Remus looked around the room. He hated this place, even when the transformations had become easier. It reminded him of what he was. What he was capable of doing. Almost everything in this room was torn to shreds. The floors, the walls, even the furniture had claw marks covering it. “and the tunnel that leads to it – it was all built for my use. Once a month, I came here to transform. The Willow was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone stumbling upon me while I was dangerous.”

“My transformations in those days were horrific. It is extremely painful to transform into a werewolf. Since I was locked away from the outside world, with no humans to bite, I attacked myself," Remus said quietly. “The screams the villagers heard were thought to be from demonic spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor of course. The house has remained silent for years, yet the villagers still don’t dare approach it.”

“Apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been. For the first time in my life, I had made friends. Three wonderful friends – Sirius Black,” Remus’ gaze met Sirius'. “Peter Pettigrew, and of course your father, Harry - James Potter.” 

“Now, of course my friends soon took notice of my monthly absences. I made up all sorts of stories. My mother was ill. I had an aunt who had died. I was terrified if they found out, they would desert me. I couldn’t bare to be alone again. But, like you, Hermione, they figured it out.”

Remus remembered the day. The three of them sitting on Sirius’ bed. James failing to contain his grin and Sirius looking concerned. Later, Sirius had pulled Remus aside and promised he would never have to be alone again. They would always be the Marauders. Unfortunately, that promise was broken, Remus bitterly thought.

“And they didn’t desert me. Instead, they did something to make my transformations more bearable. They became Animagi.” 

“My dad as well?” Harry asked, astounded. It seemed he had temporarily forgotten the fear and anger he had felt earlier.

Remus frowned. It was a shame Harry hadn’t known this about James. None of this information should have been news to him. He should have grown up hearing stories about the Marauders. 

“Yes, your dad as well," Remus forced a smile towards Harry. “It took them the better part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius were the cleverest students in the school-“ Sirius chuckled at this. “Lucky they were since the process can go horribly wrong. It is one of the reasons the Ministry keeps a close eye on individuals attempting to do it," Remus nodded towards Hermione. “Peter needed Sirius’ and James’ help, but they all managed it by our fifth year. They each could turn into a different animal at will.” 

“Excuse me, Professor, how exactly did that help you?” Hermione asked, sounding confused.

“If they kept me company as humans, they were at risk of being bitten. As animals, however, they weren’t in any danger. Every month, they would sneak out of the castle underneath James’ cloak. They would all transform. Peter, being a rat, was the smallest and could slip beneath the Willow’s attacking branches and touch the knot to freeze it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I was less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to be more clear when I was with them.”

“Now, that we could all transform, the possibilities were highly exciting. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village at night. Sirius and James transformed into large animals and were able to keep a werewolf in check. We found out a great deal about the Hogwarts’ grounds and Hogsmeade. That’s how we came to write the Marauders’ Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. And James -" Remus paused. “James was Prongs.”

“What kind of animal could my dad -" Harry asked in awe.

“That was very dangerous. Roaming around in the dark with a werewolf? What if you had gotten away and bit someone?” Hermione scolded.

Remus winced. They had been reckless. “That is a thought that still haunts me to this day. Luckily no such thing ever occurred. There were near misses, but we laughed about them afterwards. We were young, careless, and full of ourselves.”

“Still, I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore’s trust. He allowed me to attend Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have. He had no idea I was breaking the rules that were set to ensure my safety and the safety of others. He never knew I led three students to illegally become Animagi. I always managed to brush my guilt aside every full moon. I haven’t changed either," Remus’ face had now hardened. 

“I never told Dumbledore about Sirius or Peter being Animagi. Not even when you were arrested, Sirius. I’m not sure if I was afraid of Dumbledore knowing I had betrayed his trust, or having to face the consequences of my betrayal," Remus voice had become shaky. If only he had said something all those years ago. Maybe things would have gone differently. He rubbed his eyes and continued. “And I am still having the same battle with myself. All year I have contemplated going to Dumbledore and telling him everything I knew, but here we stand. I was too cowardly. Dumbledore allowed me an education. He gave me a job. He believed in me despite of what I am. Having to admit I broke his trust -" Remus’ voice broke off. He paused for a few seconds, regaining his composure.

“I convinced myself Sirius had to be getting into the castle a different way. His Animagus form had nothing to do with the break-in. He merely was using some form of dark magic learned from Voldemort.” Sirius snorted. “So, in a way, Professor Snape has been right about me this entire time.” 

“Again, what does Snape have to do with this?” Sirius questioned Remus.

“He’s the potions professor, Sirius. He teaches here as well,” Remus sighed.

“WHAT? He’s a professor? Has Dumbledore gone mad?” Sirius demanded.

Remus rolled his eyes. Twelve years in Azkaban clearly had not erased the old disdain Sirius’ felt towards Snape. Remus looked over at the children. Harry had a slight grin on his face.

“Professor Snape was in the same year as we were. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He’s been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons," Remus paused and looked over at Sirius. Sirius winced. “While we were in school, Sirius played a prank on Snape that nearly killed him. It involved me – “

“It was extremally reckless of me," Sirius interrupted. "I wasn’t thinking. I’ll forever be sorry for having caused you so much pain, Remus," Sirius said quietly.

Remus nodded. He had long forgiven Sirius for his lapse in judgement. Though the prank had occurred almost twenty years ago, the memory still brought pain and anger with it. The feelings weren’t as overwhelming now as they had been when the wounds were still fresh. Sirius, on the other hand, had spent the past twelve years reliving every unhappy memory he possessed. He had suffered enough.

“I know, Sirius. I don’t hold a grudge," Remus said softly. 

“I, on the other hand, do,” Sneered a cold voice behind Remus, causing everyone to jump.

Severus Snape was standing near the bedroom door. He had just pulled off Harry’s Invisibility Clock, and his wand was pointed directly at Remus


	3. The Rat is Exposed

Everyone seemed to be paralyzed for a moment. Not a single word was uttered. The only sounds to be heard were the groans from the rickety shack.

Sirius leapt to his feet, breaking the silence. He moved forward, hands balled into fists. _He doesn’t have a wand_ , Remus thought. Remus flung his arm out to halt Sirius from moving any further towards Snape. Fists would turn this bad situation into a truly terrible one.

“I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," Snape said while throwing the Invisibility Cloak aside. His wand was still fixed on Remus. “I do thank you, Potter. It was rather useful," Snape’s voice dripped of glee and disdain. It was quite disturbing. Remus had never been afraid of Snape. In fifth year, he had been terrified Snape would tell the entire school about his furry little problem, but he had never truly feared the man himself, until now.

“Severus, let us explain," Remus said, trying to remain calm.

“You are probably wondering what I am doing here tonight," Snape said, ignoring Remus’ plea. “I’ve just come from your office, Lupin. Lucky that I did, lying right on your desk was a map. One look at it told me all the information I needed to know.”

_Damn, how could I have been so careless?_ Remus thought. _If I had brought the map with me, I could have used it to prove the rat is Peter._

“Severus, you are making a grave mistake," Remus urged. “You must listen to us. You haven’t heard the entire story. Sirius and I can explain – he isn’t here to kill Harry – “

“Looks like two will be headed for Azkaban tonight,” Snape said with a gleam in his eye. “It will be interesting to see how Dumbledore reacts to this information. He was quite convinced you were a tame werewolf, Lupin," Snape spat.

“You fool," Remus hissed, unable to stop himself. “Is a schoolboy’s grudge really worth putting an innocent man back in prison?”

Snape’s lips curled into a snarl. Before Remus could react, coarse ropes flew out the end of Snape’s wand, twisting themselves around Remus’ body. He lost his balance and fell to the floor. Remus wheezed. His air passageways were being constricted by the ropes tied around his mouth and neck, making it hard to breath properly.

Remus heard Sirius growl and launch himself towards Snape, whose wand was now pointed at Sirius. Remus was terrified Snape would hex Sirius as well. Thankfully, Sirius stopped in his tracks and glared at Snape.

“YOU BASTARD! DON’T YOU FUCKING HURT HIM,” Sirius yelled.

“How touching. After everything, you still are protecting your pet, Black. Maybe if you’re lucky the Dementors will let the two of you share a cell,” Snape said coolly, wand pointed directly between Sirius’ eyes.

Sirius breathing had gone hard. He was glaring at Snape, but he didn’t dare make a move or sound. Remus was still laying on the floor, struggling from the ropes. Ron was clutching a squeaking Scabbers, who was still struggling to run. Harry stood next to Hermione, frozen. He wasn’t sure if he believed Professor Lupin’s story, but right now his hatred for Snape was a lot stronger than his hatred for Black. Hermione, however, took an uncertain step forward.

“Professor Snape," her voice quavered. “perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to listen to what they have to say.”

“Ms. Granger, you are already facing suspension from school," Snape said. “You, Potter, and Weasley are not only breaking curfew, you all are out of bounds and in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once, hold your tongue.”

“I - I understand sir, but if this were a mistake,” Hermione said, voice continuing to shake.

“WHAT PART OF BE QUIET DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND, YOU STUPID GIRL!” Snape bellowed, causing Hermione to whimper and grab ahold of Harry’s sleeve.

“I had hoped I would be the one to catch you, and now here we are. Oh, how vengeance is sweet," Snape said glaring at Sirius.

“Afraid to disappoint you Severus, but as long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle," Sirius said pointing towards Ron. “I’ll come quietly.”

“The castle?” Snape sneered. “There isn’t any need to go up to the castle, Black. As soon as you get out of the Willow, the Dementors will be called. I’m sure they will be very pleased to see you. They may even greet you with a kiss. Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for your pet as well.”

_NO._ Remus’ blood ran cold. _Peter was right here in this room. Sirius could be freed._ Remus struggled against the ropes binding him. He thrashed about, attempting to free himself. He had to save Sirius. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing him again.

“Please, Severus, you have to hear me out,” Sirius whispered. What little color remaining in the man’s face was now gone. “The rat – just take a look at the rat – “

But Snape was not going to listen to reason. His expression was of pure hatred. Ignoring Sirius’ pleas, he snapped his fingers. The ends of the ropes binding Remus flew to his hands, dragging the man across the floor. “In front of me where I can see you. All of you, now," Snape snaped. “I’ll drag the werewolf out.”

Harry made a move towards the door. For a terrifying second, Remus thought the boy was going to simply comply with Snape’s command. But when Harry reached the threshold, he turned around and blocked the door.

“Potter, you are in enough trouble as is," Snarled Snape. “If it wasn’t for me saving your skin –“

“Professor Lupin had plenty of opportunities to kill me this year," Harry said. “He has been giving me private lessons on defending myself against the Dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn’t he finish me off himself?”

“How should I know how a werewolf’s mind works?” hissed Snape. “Move out of the way, Potter.”

“You’re pathetic!” Harry yelled. “Just because of a prank you won’t even listen to what they have to say?”

“I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO WITH SUCH DISRESPECT, POTTER!” Snape roared. “Just like your good for nothing father. I have just saved your neck. You should be thanking me on bended knee! Instead you are too arrogant to believe you might be wrong about Black! Now, get out of my way before I have to make you.”

Harry didn’t move. He glared at Snape while slipping his hand into his back pocket.

“I SAID GET OUT OF MY WAY, POTTER!” Snape yelled, advancing towards Harry.

Remus saw Sirius clench his jaw and raise his fist.

“DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH MY– " Before Sirius could finish, he was cut off by a loud bang.

“EXPELLIARMUS!” Harry yelled. Except, Harry’s voice wasn’t alone. Ron’s and Hermione’s wands had red jets of light flying from their tips as well. All three of their spells hit Snape squarely in the chest, sending the man flying back into the wall. His head made a sickening crunch before he dropped to the floor with a loud thud. Blood began to trickle down his forehead.

Hermione dropped her wand. “We attacked a teacher!” She exclaimed. “We’re going to be in so much trouble.”

Harry’s eyes were wide with disbelief.

Sirius ran over to Remus’ side and untied the ropes. “Are you okay?” Sirius asked, helping the man to his feet.”

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you,” Remus said. He rubbed his wrist where the ropes had dug into the skin. His heart had started to beat normally again. He honestly believed he would have been handed over to the Dementors. If it wasn’t for the quick reflexes of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, he and Sirius would have been.

“Err - he’s not dead.. is he?” Ron asked, staring at the lifeless body of Snape.

Remus strode over to Snape and crouched down to check the man’s pulse. He was still breathing.

“You all were just a bit overenthusiastic. He might have a concussion, but other than that, he's fine,” Remus said.

“Pity," Sirius muttered.

_Pity indeed_ , Remus thought. He understood Snape resented Sirius and himself, but to turn them both over to the Dementors?

“Harry, I think it is time we offered you proof,” Remus said. “Ron, could you please hand me Peter?”

“What? You can’t be serious," Ron said weakly. “You’re saying he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? Say this Pettigrew fellow can turn into a rat. There are millions of rats – how is he supposed to know which one he is looking for if he was locked away in prison?”

Remus frowned. Ron had a point.

“Sirius, that is a fair question. Care to answer?” Remus asked.

Sirius reached inside his robe pocket and pulled out a crumbled piece of paper. He smoothed it out flat and handed it to Remus.

It was a clipping of a photograph from the Daily Prophet from the previous summer about the Weasley families vacation in Egypt. There was nothing unusual about the photograph. There stood the Weasley family, all waving and smiling, and if one looked close enough, a rat could be seen perched on top of Ron’s shoulders. 

“How did you get this?” Remus asked, staring down at the photograph.

“Fudge,” Sirius replied. “He came in once last year to inspect Azkaban. I mentioned to him how I missed doing the crosswords, and he handed me the paper. I recognized Peter right away. The caption said the boy was returning to Hogwarts. To where Harry was. I had to do something.”

“My God!” Remus gasped, shaking his head in disbelief. “His front paw.”

“What’s wrong with it?” Ron demanded.

Sirius glanced at Ron and at the rat. “He’s got a toe missing.”

 _All they found was a finger_ , Remus thought. "Of course. So simple, yet so brilliant. He cut it off himself, didn’t he?” Remus asked Sirius.

“Before he transformed,” Sirius said with a haunting look. “I had just cornered him. He screamed at the top of his lungs that I betrayed Lily and James. Before I could do anything, he blew up the entire street. Everyone within twenty feet of himself were killed. He sped down into the sewers with the other rats."

“Ron, didn’t you ever hear, the only piece of Peter they found was his finger?" Remus asked.

“Scabbers probably got into a fight or was attacked by something. He’s been in my family for ages.” Ron was still in denial.

“Twelve years to be exact, right?” Remus asked. “Ever wonder why he was living so long?”

“We take good care of him!” Ron exclaimed.

“Not looking so great lately though, is he? I’d imagine he started looking poorly since he heard Sirius had escaped," Remus said.

“It’s that bloody cat! It has it out for Scabbers," Ron said, pointing towards Crookshanks, who was still on the bed.

“This cat is the most intelligent cat of his kind," Sirius said rather proudly. He reached out a bony hand and began stroking Crookshanks' head. The cat purred loudly. “He recognized Peter for what he was right away. He knew I wasn’t a dog, but it took him a while to trust me. Took even longer for me to communicate with him what I was after. He’s the one who has been helping me all year.”

Remus was fighting the urge to laugh. It was rather amusing picturing Sirius trying to communicate with the cat as Padfoot.

“What do you mean?” Hermione asked quietly.

“He tried to bring me Peter. When that didn’t work, he stole the passwords into the Gryffindor Tower. Peter got wind of what was happening and ran for it. This cat – Crookshanks you called him?” Sirius asked, addressing Hermione. “He told me Peter left blood on the sheets. I suppose he tried faking his own death again. It worked the first time.”

“And why exactly did he feel the need to fake his death the first time?” Harry asked furiously. “Maybe because he knew you were going to kill him just like you killed my parents.”

Remus’ throat tightened up. “Harry, no – “ But Harry continued.

“And now you’ve come to finish the job!”

“Yes, I have," Sirius said matter of fact. He was staring at the rat with murderous intent in his eyes.

“Then I should have let Snape take you!” Harry shouted.

“Harry, don’t you see? Sirius wasn’t the one who betrayed your parents. We thought he did, but it was Peter. Sirius tracked Peter down," Remus said, trying so hard to make Harry understand.

“THAT’S NOT TRUE!” Harry yelled. “HE TOLD ME HIMSELF. HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER!”

Remus looked over to Sirius who shook his head remorsefully. There were tears in his eyes.

“Harry – I as good as killed them," He croaked. “I convinced Lily and James to switch the Secret-Keeper to Peter at the last moment. I’m to blame for their deaths. The night they died, I was to go check on Peter to make sure he was still safe. When I arrived, the place was empty. There were no signs of struggle. It didn’t feel right. I was so scared. I set out for your parent’s house. When I got there, I saw the house was destroyed, and their bodies -" Sirius voice wavered. “I realized what Peter had done. What I had done.” His voice broke, and he turned away.

Remus wanted nothing more than to go comfort Sirius in that moment. _Twelve years he spent in Azkaban dwelling on that horrible night. He shouldn’t have to suffer any longer._

“Enough of this,” Remus said, trying to keep his voice even. “There is one way to prove what happened. Ron, give me that rat.”

Remus’ voice no longer held the soft, gentle tone. He wasn’t asking Ron. It was a command. Still, Ron hesitated.

“What do you plan on doing with him?”

“Force him to show himself," Remus said. His temper was rising. “If he really is a rat, it won’t hurt him.”

At long last, Ron held his pet out for Remus to take. The rat began to squeak loudly. He twisted and turned in Remus’ hand.

“Ready, Sirius?” Remus asked.

Sirius was clutching Snape’s wand he had retrieved from the floor. He approached Remus and pointed the wand at the rat.

“Together?” Sirius whispered. His grey eyes met Remus’ green.

“I couldn’t think of a better way," Remus said, holding the rat tightly in his hand.

Peter had ruined their lives. It was time for him to pay.

“On the count of three,” Remus said. “One – two – THREE!”

Blue-white light erupted from both of their wands, hitting the rat. For a brief moment, he was frozen in midair. His form was twisting madly. Ron yelled. The rat fell and hit the floor. Another blinding flash, and then the squirming creature was sprouting a head and limbs. A moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had once been.

There he was. For the first time in twelve years, stood Peter in human form once again.


	4. Moonlight Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I uploaded this chapter on Friday but took it down for editing purposes. It is back up now. Hope you enjoy.

If Remus hadn’t known it was Peter, he might not have recognized him. Gone were the boyish features of his once close friend. Instead, the man that stood before him looked ill and had aged dearly. His hair was grey and patchy. His skin looked grubby and bore a resemblance to Scabber’s fur. It hung loosely off his body, as if he had lost weight in a short amount of time. Some of the rat still lingered in his pointed nose and his small, twitchy eyes. His breathing had become shallow, and his eyes kept darting to the door.

“Hello Peter," Remus said, his voice light and casual. “Long time no see.”

“S – Sirius… R – Remus…” Peter said nervously. His voice was high-pitched and squeaky. “My old friends…”

Sirius’ eyes were burning with fury. He raised his wand, but Remus stepped close to him and grabbed his gaunt wrist. He shot Sirius a warning look and shook his head. Sirius lowered his wand. Remus turned his attention back to Peter.

“Peter, we have been having a little chat about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed some of the finer points what with all the squeaking you were doing.”

“Remus,” gasped Peter. “you don’t actually believe him, do you? He tried to kill me, Remus."

“So we’ve heard," Remus replied, voice now chilly. “Peter, there are a few things I’d like to clear up, if you would be so -"

“He’s come to try and kill me again!” Peter squeaked pathetically. He pointed at Sirius with his middle finger. His index finger was missing. Remus saw Harry’s eyes widen. “He killed Lily and James. Now, he plans to finish the job. You’ve got to help me Remus.”

Remus had heard those exact words before. Peter, the smallest one of their group, seemed to always be needing their assistance. Whether it was coming to his defense from verbal taunts from Slytherin or helping him pass his lessons, they were always there to help Peter. He was their friend. It was part of being a Marauder. Always supporting one another. But the man that was standing in this room was not Remus’ good friend. That man died over twelve years ago, leaving Remus to mourn for him, Lily, James, and the loss of Sirius. No, the man standing here tonight was a traitor, and Remus planned to kill him.

“Quiet. No one is going to kill you until we’ve sorted some things out," Remus said, glaring at Peter.

“Sorted things out?” Peter cried, eyes darting back to the door. “I knew he’d be back. I’ve been waiting for this for twelve years!”

“You knew Sirius would try and break out of Azkaban, when nobody else has ever done it before?” Remus asked skeptically.

“He has dark powers that none of us can imagine. How else could he do it? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named must have taught him a few tricks!” Peter shouted.

“HA!” Sirius barked out a laugh that filled the entire room. “Voldemort, teach me tricks?”

Peter flinched.

“Scared of your old master’s name, Peter?” Sirius asked. “I can’t say I blame you. His lot aren’t too fond of you, are they?”

‘I’m not sure what you mean, Sirius," Peter muttered.

“I’m not the one you have been hiding from for twelve years,” Sirius said. “You’ve been hiding from Voldemort’s old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter. They all think you’re dead. You’d have to answer to them if they knew the truth. I could hear them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds to me like they believe you double-crossed them. Which to be honest, I can’t really say I blame them for thinking that. You have been known to betray people’s trust," Sirius replied, mouth curling into a sneer. 

“Don’t know what you’re talking about….” Peter said once more. He looked at Remus. “Remus, you don’t’ believe this – this madness?"

“I must admit Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would spend twelve years hiding as a rat," Remus said evenly.

“Innocent, but scared,” Peter said. “If You-Know-Who’s supporters were after me, it was because I put their best man in Azkaban – the spy, Sirius Black!”

 _LIAR!_ Remus felt the urge to attack Peter. He would have lost control if it wasn’t for Sirius speaking up.

“How dare you!” Sirius was seething. “I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever seek out the Dark Arts? I spent my entire childhood running from it, Peter! Why would I join the ranks with people who held beliefs I had always despised?”  

 _He’s right_ , thought Remus. Sirius had hated being a Black. He rejected the Black family values and had tried desperately to distance himself from their pure-blood elitism.

“But you Peter – you always had to be surrounded by stronger, more powerful people. I’ll never understand why I didn’t realize you were the spy from the start. You always liked having friends who looked after you. It used to be us... me and Remus… and James...” Sirius’ eyes clouded with sorrow.

 _The war had caused us to become consumed with fear and paranoia. Sirius and I were too busy worrying about each other’s doings to even think about Peter_ , Remus thought.

“Me, a spy… must be out of your mind…. never…absurd – “Peter said, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“The only reason Lily and James made you Secret-Keeper was because I suggested it," Sirius hissed viciously. “I thought it was so clever. It was the perfect plan - a bluff. Voldemort would be sure to come after me. Who would suspect a weak, talentless think like yourself? It must have been the finest moment of your pathetic life, handing over the Potters to Voldemort.”  

Remus could hear Peter muttering words like “madness” and “far-fetched”. Even if Peter was still trying to keep up the façade, Remus knew the man was beginning to crack. His skin had now gone ashen and his eyes were constantly darting towards the boarded-up windows and door. The truth would be spilling from Peter's mouth soon enough.

“Professor Lupin?” Hermione asked nervously. “Can – can I say something?”

“Certainly, Hermione," Remus said, trying to smile.

“Scabbers – this man, he’s been sleeping in Harry’s dormitory for three years. If he was working for You-Know-Who, why hasn’t he tried hurting Harry before now?”

“There!” Peter cried out. “Thank you! You see, Remus, have never laid a finger on Harry! Why should I?”

“I’ll tell you why," Sirius said. “You never did anything for anyone unless it benefited yourself. Voldemort has been in hiding for twelve years. They say he’s half dead. You weren’t about to stick your neck out for a wreck of a wizard right under Albus Dumbledore’s nose, were you? No, you’d bide your time until Voldemort had regained his power. Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for any news of your protector?”

Peter opened his mouth then closed it. He repeated this several times, apparently having lost the ability to speak.

“Er – Mr. Black – Sirius?” Hermione asked.

Sirius jumped, and Remus stifled a laugh. He couldn’t remember if Sirius had ever been addressed as “Mr. Black”.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Hermione continued. “how did you manage to escape Azkaban. You said you didn’t use Dark Magic.”

“Thank you!” Peter gasped, nodding frantically at Hermione. “Exactly! Precisely what I was –“

But Remus shot Peter a glare, and the man closed his mouth again. Sirius was frowning at Hermione, as if trying to find the best way to explain his answer. After moments of silence, Sirius replied.

“I don’t know how I did it, to be honest,” he started slowly. “I think the only reason I never fully lost my mind was because I knew I was innocent. That wasn’t a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn’t suck it from me… but it did keep me sane - knowing who I am helped me keep my powers. When it all became too much, I would transform into a dog. Dementors can’t see, you know.” Sirius swallowed, and took a shaky breath. “They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions. They could tell my feelings were less human, less complex when I was a dog. They thought I had gone mad, which isn’t peculiar. Most people do after a while, so nothing seemed off. But I was weak, very weak. I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand…”

Guilt washed over Remus. _I did nothing. I let him rot in that cell and did nothing. I didn’t even try to go see him._

“But then I saw Peter on the front page of the Daily Prophet. I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry…perfectly positioned to act if necessary. Once word got to Peter that Voldemort was gathering strength again, I knew he’d strike. Who would dare say he had betrayed Lord Voldemort after he gave him Harry. He’d be welcomed back with honors.”

“It was as if someone had lit a fire underneath me. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive. I had to do something. Finally, I had something the Dementors couldn’t destroy. It wasn’t a happy feeling. More like an obsession. It gave me strength, though. It cleared my mind. So, one night when my door was opened to bring me food, I slipped past them as a dog. I was thin, very thin… so thin I was able to slip through the bars. I swam as a dog to the mainland, journeyed north and slipped into Hogsmede. I've been living in the village ever since, disguised as a stray. The only time I left was to watch the Quidditch. You fly as well as your father did, Harry.”

Sirius looked at Harry, who did not look away.

“Believe me, Harry,” croaked Sirius. “I never betrayed James and Lily. I loved your parents. I would have died before I betrayed them.”

Remus watched the boy and man stare at one another. He saw the mistrust in Harry’s eyes fade away, as he slowly nodded in understanding. At long last, Harry believed Sirius.

“NO!”

Peter had fallen to his knees. He shuffled forward to Sirius, hands clasped in front of him as though he was praying.

“Sirius – it’s me… it’s Peter… your friend… please, you wouldn’t –“ Peter stammered, groveling and grasping at Sirius' robes.

Sirius kicked at Peter causing the man to recoil.

“My robes are filthy enough without you touching them," Sirius spat.

Peter turned his attention to Remus, and shuffled towards him.

“Remus! You don’t believe this, do you? Of all people, Sirius would have told you they had changed the plan.”

 _He didn’t trust me,_ Remus thought. He remembered the night his entire world came crashing down around him. He could still hear the accusations that spilled out of Sirius’ mouth.

“No, he wouldn’t have since he thought I was the spy.” Remus said, avoiding Sirius’ gaze. “But now that I know the truth, I’m thinking it was you who put those thoughts of me being untrustworthy into his head.” Remus said, directing his attention towards Peter.

Peter stood, mouth agape. He seemed to have no response for Remus.

"I am so sorry, Remus.” Sirius’ voice drew Remus’ attention away from Peter. “I was wrong to ever accuse you. Is there any way you can forgive me?” Sirius asked, regret in his eyes.

“As long as you can you forgive me for believing you were the spy.” Remus said.

“Of course, Moons," Sirius replied, Remus’ old nickname slipping from his lips. They both smiled sadly at one another. They finally tore their attention away once Peter began whimpering.

"Shall we kill him together?” Sirius asked, rolling up his sleeves.

“Yes, I think so," Remus said grimly. He too rolled up his sleeves.

Peter sensing there was no convincing his old friends, tried appealing to Ron instead.

“Ron, haven’t I been a good friend – a good pet? You won’t let them kill me, Ron. You’re on my side, right?”

Ron was starting at Peter with disgust.

“I let you share a bed with me.”

“Kind boy… kind master," Peter was now crawling on hands and knees towards Ron. He grasped Ron’s leg, causing Ron to whimper in pain. “You can’t let them do it. I was your rat… your pet.”

“If you were a better pet than human, it is nothing to boast about, Peter,” Sirius said harshly.

Ron, going pale with pain, wrenched his broken leg out of Peter’s grasp. Peter turned, and crawled towards Hermione. He seized the hem of her robes.

“Sweet girl… clever girl.. you won’t let them harm me. Please, help me.”

Hermione, looking horrified, pulled her robes out of Peter’s hands and backed up against the wall.

Peter knelt trembling. He turned his head slowly toward Harry.

“Harry, you look so much like your father.”

“HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY!” roared Sirius. “HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?”

“Harry,” Peter gasped, shuffling toward him. Harry’s eyes were wide. He stood frozen on the spot. “Harry, James would have understood. He would have shown me mercy. He wouldn’t have wanted me killed.”

“You manipulating bastard!” Remus yelled unable to control his anger. He and Sirius seized Peter by the shoulders and threw him backwards onto the floor. Peter lay there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.

“You sold Lily and James to Voldemort,” Sirius said, voice cold with furry. “Do you deny it?”

Peter began to sob uncontrollably. It was rather uncomfortable to watch.

“Sirius… Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he possesses weapons you can’t imagine. I was scared, Sirius. I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I… I never meant it to happen. The Dark Lord f-forced me – “

“DON’T LIE!” Sirius bellowed. “YOU HAD BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR OVER A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!”

“He was taking over everywhere!” Peter cried. “Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?”

Remus gasped. Peter wasn’t even denying his betrayal. He had willingly submitted himself to Voldemort.

“What was there to be gained by fighting the evilest wizard to ever exist?” Sirius’ grey eyes were full of fury. “Only innocent lives, Peter!”

“You don’t understand! He would have killed me, Sirius!”

“THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!” roared Sirius. “DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!”

“You should have realized,” Remus said quietly. “if Voldemort didn’t kill you, we would have. Good-bye Peter.”

Sirius and Remus had their wands raised. Avada Kedavra, not yet spoken, was right there on their lips. Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall. Ron looked on, eyes wide with horror.

“NO!” Harry yelled. He ran forward and placed himself in front of Peter, shielding the man from the wands. “You can’t kill him,” Harry said breathlessly. “You can’t.”

Both Remus and Sirius staggered backwards.

“Harry, this piece of filth is the reason you have no parents. You heard him. His own pathetic life meant more to him than your entire family," Sirius snarled.

“I know," Harry panted. “We’ll take him to the castle. Hand him over to the Dementors. He can go to Azkaban.. but don’t kill him.”

“Harry!” gasped Peter. He flung his arms around Harry’s legs. “Thank you – thank you – it is more than I deserve.”

“Get off me!” Harry spat, throwing Peter off. “I’m not doing this for you. I just reckon my dad wouldn’t have wanted his two best friends to become killers just for you.”

 _Harry is right,_ Remus thought. _James wouldn’t have wanted them to kill Peter. He would have turned Peter over to the Ministry, but he wouldn’t have killed him._ Remus exchanged a look with Sirius. They both lowered their wands.

“Harry, you are the only person with the right to decide,” Sirius said gently. “But think what he did.. “

“He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. “If anyone deserves that place, he does..”

“Very well," Remus said. “Stand aside, Harry.”

Harry did not move.

“Harry, all I am going to do is tie him up. I swear.”

Harry moved out of the way. Thin cords shot from Remus’ wand, bounding and gagging Peter.

“But if you transform Peter, we will kill you. Agree Harry?” Sirius said.

Harry looked down at the pathetic man squirming on the floor and nodded so Peter could see.

“Ron, I can’t mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey. I think it is best if I strap your leg up until we can get you the hospital wing.”

Remus crouched down and tapped Ron’s leg, muttering “Ferula”. Bandages spun around Ron’s leg and strapping it into a splint. Ron attempted to put his full weight on his leg and didn’t wince.

“Thanks, it’s much better,” He said.

“What about Professor Snape?” Hermione asked.

Remus looked over at Snape. He had forgotten about Snape’s unconscious body laying on the floor.

“I think it would be best if we left him here until we can make it up to the castle. We’ll notify Dumbledore once everything is sorted. Someone can come and revive him later," He said.

“Two of us should be chained to this," Sirius suggested, nudging Peter with his toe. “To be sure he doesn’t escape.”

“I’ll do it," Remus volunteered.

“And me,” Ron said, limping forward.

Sirius conjured heavy chains from thin air. Soon, Peter was upright again. His left arm chained to Remus’ right and right arm to Ron’s left.

Crookshanks leapt lightly off the bed and led the way out of the room.

Getting back through the tunnel proved to be a bit difficult. Remus, Peter, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it. Remus seemed to be having a tough time though. His face was hot, and his skin felt too tight. _I’m fine,_ Remus thought. _Just too much excitement tonight._

“You know what this means.” Remus could hear Sirius behind him talking to Harry.

“You’re free,” Harry replied.

“Yes…” Sirius said nervously. “But I’m also – I’m not sure if anyone has told you, Harry, but I’m your godfather.”

“Yeah, I know," Harry answered.

“Well… your parents appointed me your guardian if anything ever happened...” Sirius said slowly.

“I mean, I understand if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle, but well once my name is cleared… if you wanted a different home…”

“You mean live with you? Leave the Dursleys?” Harry asked.

“Of course, I thought you wouldn’t want to,” Sirius said quickly. “I understand, I just thought I’d ask.”

“Of course, I want to leave the Dursleys! Do you have a house? When can I move in?” Harry cried out in excitement.

Sirius stopped and turned towards Harry.

“You want to?” he asked, sounding hopeful. “You really mean it?”

“I mean it!” Harry exclaimed.

Sirius face broke out into the first true smile that night. He continued on, but his smile never wavered.

No one else spoke until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted out first, his paw hitting the knot on the tree. Remus, Peter, and Ron clambered out next. Then it was Hermione and Harry. Sirius was last.

Night had fallen on the grounds, but the sky bore no stars only clouds. The only light that could be seen came from the distant windows of the castle. Silently they trudged through the grounds, the castle light growing larger.

Peter was wheezing and whimpering.

“One wrong move, Peter and –“ Before Remus could finish his sentence a cloud shifted, revealing the full moon.

Remus froze. His heart began to race. _The potion,_ he thought. His eyes were wide with fear.


	5. A Narrow Escape

Sirius froze. He flung out an arm to make Hermione and Harry stop. Somehow in all of tonight’s excitement, he had forgotten it was the full moon. _Apparently, Remus had too,_ he thought. He saw Remus go rigid and his limbs began to shake. It had been years since he had been present for a full moon. He knew they had only mere minutes before the transformation was complete, and Ron was still chained to Peter and Remus.

“DIFFINDO!” Sirius shouted, casting the spell at the shackles that bound the three together. Ron and Peter were knocked back onto the grass.

“Harry, grab Ron, and all three of you run. Run now," Sirius whispered urgently.

There was a terrible cracking sound. Remus cried out in agony. His head was lengthening, as well as his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. The wolf reared its head, and snapped its long jaws.

 _I’ll have to stall Moony long enough for Harry and his friends to escape_ , Sirius thought. Sirius transformed into Padfoot and flung himself at the wolf. He sunk his sharp teeth into its neck and pulled it backwards, away from Ron and Peter.

Harry and Hermione ran to help Ron to his feet. Hermione had her arm tightly around Ron’s waist when she screamed, alerting Harry. Peter had dived for Remus’ dropped wand.

“Expelliarmus!” Harry yelled, pointing his wand at Peter.

Remus’ wand flew into the air, disappearing out of sight, but it was too late. Peter had already transformed. His bald tail whipped through the shackle on Ron’s arm, and he scurried into the night.

“NO!” Harry yelled. He couldn’t let Peter escape again. They needed him to prove Sirius' innocence and clear his name. Harry hesitated for a moment and then took off towards the forest after Peter.

“HARRY, NO! COME BACK!” Hermione cried out.

Ron looked desperately around. Both Sirius and Remus were gone. He and Hermione were alone.

“We need to go get – " Hermione froze. A spine-chilling howl could be heard in the distance. The two turned around to see the wolf running into the forest. Sirius was behind him.

“Sirius!” Hermione called out to the dog. “Harry is gone! He ran after Peter in the forest.”

Hermione’s frantic voice stopped Sirius in his tracks.

_Harry is in the forest with Moony. I must find him. I must protect him._

The dog ran towards the two and transformed. Sirius was bleeding. His face had several cuts and there was a deep gash down his back.

“You two… up to the castle…. now. Alert Dumbledore. I’ll… I’ll find Harry," Sirius panted. Before either Ron or Hermione had a chance to respond, he transformed into the dog once again and headed towards the forest after Harry.

He could faintly make out the scent of the rat and his godson. He hadn’t been in the Forbidden Forest since his seventh year at Hogwarts. No longer familiar with the land, he weaved through the trees, relying on scent alone. Fortunately, he could not make out the wolf’s scent.

 _Hopefully Moony has found some other kind of prey to hunt and is nowhere near Harry_ , he thought.

Several minutes passed. Sirius was now deep in the forest. There had been a time when Sirius would have found this exhilarating. It was freeing running around as Padfoot on full moon nights. Now, with Harry nowhere in sight, and Moony somewhere amongst the trees, all Sirius could feel was panic.

 _Maybe that wasn’t Harry’s scent. What if Peter had hurt him. Or the wolf -_ Sirius’ mind became flooded with terrible images. _I have to find Harry. Where is he?_

Sirius continued running. The faint scent began to grow stronger.

_Harry! He’s near!_

Shouting could be heard close by. Sirius stopped. His ears perked up in an attempt to determine what direction the sound came from.

“STUPEFY!” A voice cried out.

_Harry! It’s Harry!_

Turning back into a human, Sirius ran towards his godson's voice. He could see the boy standing near a lake. He was safe. Sirius felt relief wash over him.

“Harry, what on earth – “ Sirius began.

“Peter transformed. I had to, Sirius. I couldn’t let him get away. Not when you were about to be freed. I caught him.” Harry held up a lifeless rat.

As panicked as Sirius had been, he couldn’t help but feel proud of Harry. He had chased the rat through the forest and actually managed to catch him. Sirius never expected to find both Harry and Peter. He assumed Peter was long gone, but here he was, clutched by Harry's hand.

Sirius pulled Harry into a warm embrace.  

“I was so terrified. If anything had happened - " Sirius voice wavered. _Harry is fine. Everything is ok_ , he reminded himself. He broke the embrace, and held Harry at arm’s length. "Let’s get back up to the castle. Your friends are alerting Dumbledore as we speak.”

Harry nodded, smiling. Sirius clapped him on the shoulder, but before either of them could move, the air suddenly became colder. Frost started to develop underneath their feet.

Sirius became frozen with fear. He let out a painful whine.

“Noooo… please… James... Lily... I'm sorry... so sorry," Sirius moaned.

“What –“ Harry began to ask, but then he saw them. Black cloaked, greyed and decayed, breath rattling underneath their hoods. Dementors. At least a hundred of them, swarming the lake.

Harry spun around. Fog was beginning to obstruct his vision. More were appearing out of the darkness. He was beginning to feel that familiar, icy cold feeling.

“Noooo… Moons… Please, forgive me. I was wrong," Sirius cried out.

Harry blinked rapidly to clear his fuzzy vision. He tried blocking out the screaming that had started inside his head.

 _I have to think of something happy_ , Harry thought.

_I’m going to live with my godfather. I get to leave the Dursleys._

Harry thought of Sirius and only Sirius. He began to chant “Expecto patronum!”

Sirius gave a shudder and fell to the ground. He laid there motionless, pale as death.

_He’s fine. He has to be fine. I’m going to live with him._

“Expecto patronum!” A thin silver wisp came out of Harry’s wand.

_He was my dad’s best friend. He wants me to live with him._

“EXPECTO PATRONUM,” Harry yelled. A few more wisps emitted from Harry’s wand.

White fog was blinding him. The screaming became louder. He felt his knees buckle and hit the ground below. He had to continue fighting. He groped in the mist for Sirius and found his arm. He thought back to earlier when Sirius had found him. He had seemed so concerned for Harry’s safety. _He actually hugged me._ Harry had no recollection of ever being hugged like that, as though by family. He couldn’t let them take him. He was his godfather. He had to save him.

“EXPECTO PATRONUM," Harry yelled.

Out the end of his wand burst a dazzling, silver animal. A stag. But the stag was not the only Patronus. From the opposite side of the lake soared a phoenix.

Harry, mustering all the strength he could, watched as the two charged at the swarming Dementors, causing them to fall back and retreat into the darkness. _Dumbledore,_ Harry hazily thought before his head hit the ground as he fainted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope I didn't disappoint anyone, but there is no time travelling in this fic. I'd like to think Buckbeak still managed to escape, but without Harry's and Hermione's help, I'm not sure how that would be possible. There really isn't any reason why I decided to not have anyone use the time turner, other than I didn't feel like writing it in. Also, I kind of liked the idea of Harry being able to produce a Patronus by thinking of Sirius as family. Hope everyone enjoys!
> 
> Sorry that this chapter was a lot shorter.


	6. Moving Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was not pleased with this chapter. So I went back and edited it. Hope everyone is enjoying.

The bitter smell of Sleeping Draught hung in the air. Remus wrinkled his nose and turned over. He groaned. His head was pounding and every inch of him ached. He wondered where he was. He could tell from the soft sheets beneath him that he was in a bed. He began to blink rapidly, trying to take in his surroundings. Morning sunlight was streaming in through the windows, causing the white room to seem even brighter. Aligning the wall to his left, were several beds. Each had the same white sheets that adorned Remus’ bed. He was in the Hospital Wing, but how did he get here?

Remus tried to recall what happened the night before. He remembered seeing Peter’s name on the map, and Sirius in the Shrieking Shack. The children were there as well, but what happened after they had exposed Peter? Remus racked his brain. They had gone through the tunnel and…. The events of last night came rushing back to him. Remus’ heart stilled. _The full moon… I forgot the potion..._

Panicked, Remus shot up in bed.

“Ah, Remus, I see you’re awake.”

Remus turned his head and noticed Dumbledore was sitting at his bedside.

“Sir, I forgot to take my potion last night. Sirius, he was here last night, and Peter too. The children – are they ok? The full moon.. I transformed. Harry and his friends….” The words tumbled out of Remus’ mouth in a rush.

So many terrible thoughts were running through Remus’ mind. _Did someone get hurt? Is that why Dumbledore is here. Because I hurt someone… What if I bit –_

“Remus, I can assure you everyone is fine. Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Potter are in their dormitory. All three are perfectly safe,"

Dumbledore said.

Relief began to wash over Remus. He exhaled forcibly, but then he remembered Sirius.  

“Sir, I can explain everything. Sirius is –“

Dumbledore held up his hand.

“Sirius is innocent, I know," Dumbledore smiled. His light blue eyes twinkled behind his glasses.

“You – you know?” Remus asked, taken aback.

“I do. As does the Minister of Magic. In fact, it's likely Sirius’ pardon is being written up as we speak.” 

 _Sirius’ pardon? The Minister of Magic knows?_ Remus’ heart soared. _Did I really miss so much in one night?_

Dumbledore, as if sensing Remus’ thoughts, continued.

“I know you must have a lot of questions regarding the events of last night. I will do my best to explain. Anything I fail to mention, I’m sure Sirius can tell you later.”

Remus grinned. It almost seemed as if this was a dream. He had awoken, expecting the worst. Instead, he was being told Sirius was a free man, and he would be able to see him soon. Remus remembered back to the last time he and Sirius were alone together. They hadn't left on good terms. _There was so much left unsaid,_ Remus thought. _We have a lot to talk about._

“I’m sure he can, sir," Remus replied. “Please, do continue.”

“What is the last memory you have of last night?” Dumbledore asked kindly.

Remus paused, considering the question.

“I remember making it out of the willow. I was chained to Peter, and he was chained to Ron. We were making our way up to the castle when the clouds shifted, revealing the full moon. The last thought I had was realizing I forgot my potion. After that, I don’t really remember anything.”

Dumbledore nodded, and went on to recount what had happened after the transformation. He told Remus about Peter's escape, Harry going after him, and how Sirius had found the two deep in the forest.

Remus’ stomach sank upon hearing Harry was in the forest along with a blood thirsty werewolf. _Anything could have happened to him. I could have biten him. Peter could have turned on him._ He was so thankful Sirius was able to find the boy before any harm could be done.

Dumbledore then told Remus about the dementor attack.

“There were at least a hundred dementors swarming the lake last night. The dementors, of course, were only there because of Sirius, but Harry tried protecting him. As you know, it isn’t in a Dementor’s nature to be forgiving. Naturally, they attacked Harry as well.”

“Fortunately, Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley alerted me as soon as Sirius went off in search of Harry. I was able to locate them. I could see both Harry and Sirius across the lake. Sirius had already fainted, and Harry wasn't fairing much better. I cast a Patronus. The Dementors were circling closer to Sirius and Harry. I was afraid they would administer a kiss to either one. What surprised me though, was my Patronus was not the only one charging across the lake last night. You’ve been giving Harry private lessons on defending against dementors, haven’t you?” Dumbledore asked Remus, smiling.

Remus nodded.

“You’ll be pleased to know, Harry was able to produce a powerful enough Patronus to drive the dementors away. The Patronus charm is very advanced magic. It is astonishing for someone of Harry’s age to produce a corporeal Patronus. You should be very proud of your student, and I believe you will find it significant to know his Patronus is a stag.”

Remus smiled to himself. _Prongs._ Then, he fully processed what Dumbledore had just said.

“You know about them becoming Animagi, don’t you?” Remus asked Dumbledore.

“I do. Once the Dementors were driven away, Harry, Sirius and Peter were all brought back to the castle. Harry was taken to the hospital wing along with Severus and Mr. Weasley. Sirius and Peter were held in my office, and the Ministry was notified. They both were questioned under Veritaserum and gave accounts on what occurred the night Lily and James were murdered. Naturally, their questioning revealed their Animagi abilities.”

Remus frowned. _Dumbledore must be disappointed in me. I betrayed his trust. All these years I’ve known. Never once did I tell him. Too much of a coward.._

“I find it to be a very noble deed what your friends did for you, Remus," Dumbledore said. “Yes, it was dangerous for wizards so young to undergo the process without any supervision. Nevertheless, it was incredibly noble.”

Remus looked at Dumbledore. He was stunned. All this time he had been afraid of Dumbledore’s reaction. He had feared hearing the disappointment in the headmaster’s voice, but he could detect none.

“You aren’t upset that I betrayed your trust? You allowed me to attend Hogwarts and even provided me a job, and I repaid you by leading three students into becoming Animagi illegally. I never said anything about it. Even when I was brought in for questioning about Sirius’ involvement in James’ and Lily’s deaths. I didn’t inform anyone about their Animagi abilities, and I should have. If I did, things could have turned out differently,” Remus said softly, regret in his voice.

Dumbledore patted Remus’ knee. It was a few short moments before he spoke, as if he was carefully deciding what to say next.

“My dear boy, I remember when I brought you your acceptance letter. The young boy I met had been isolated from the world and was terrified of what would happen if someone ever discovered his secret. You came to Hogwarts, you excelled in your lessons, and you made friends. You found three friends who not only accepted your lycanthropy but discovered a way to make your transformations easier. I could never blame you for that. Not when you spent your entire childhood yearning for acceptance. You did not betray my trust, Remus. And I provided you the Defense Against the Dark Arts position because you were the best man for the job. And you have proven to be an excellent professor. I’m sure your students would agree.”

“As for blaming yourself for Sirius’ imprisonment, Remus, the entire wizarding community believed Sirius Black to be a murderer. Myself included. We all made mistakes. I should have demanded a trail for Sirius, but failed to do so. The evidence, at the time, was astounding. I believed there was no other explanation, but I was wrong. We all were wrong about Sirius. Do not place blame solely on yourself.”

“But I should have known. I, of all people, should have realized Sirius couldn't have betrayed Lily and James. I loved–" Remus broke off.

They were the exact same thoughts he had when he first got word of Lily’s and James’ deaths. _I should have known. How could I have not realized I shared a bed with a murderer? I loved him. Was I so blinded by that love to not see Sirius’ true self?_ But Remus had been wrong about Sirius all those years ago, and he was ashamed. _How could I have ever doubted Sirius. Yes, we had been split up for a few months before everything went to utter shit, but I never stopped loving him. How could I have let him suffer?_

“You loved him, and because you loved him, you wonder how you could ever have believed such terrible lies?” Dumbledore asked.

Remus nodded, tears in his eyes.

The old wizard smiled sadly. “Remus, as happy as I know you are to hear of Sirius’ innocence. I know it pains you as well. War can turn the greatest of friends into the bitterest of enemies. It brings nothing but death and despair. Leaving behind pure ugliness. I know you feel as if you can never forgive yourself for doubting Sirius, but you must. It does not do to dwell on the past. We can learn from the past, but we must always move forward. You cannot change what has happened. You can, however, do something about the future.”

At those words, Dumbledore patted Remus’ knee once more and stood up.

“Sirius is currently in my office awaiting word from the Ministry. I told him I would be here when you awoke. He will be expecting you. Now, if you will excuse me, I am needed in the Great Hall. I must explain to the staff and students what took place last night before they hear the news from the Daily Prophet.”

“Sir, I –“ Remus didn’t know what to say. He felt an immense amount of gratitude towards Dumbledore. He was very fortunate to have the wise wizard as a friend.

“I know, Remus," Dumbledore smiled, turning around. “Oh – and treacle tart. That should do the trick. Good day, Remus.” With a final nod and a smile, Dumbledore headed out into the corridor.

Remus laid in bed for a few moments, contemplating Dumbledore advice. Could he forgive himself for believing the worst? Could Sirius forgive him? _I know he said he did last night, but did he truly mean it?_ Remus got out of bed, and began to dress. He would take Dumbledore’s advice or at least try to. He made his way out of the Hospital Wing, towards the headmaster’s office. One foot in front of the other. His heart pounding with every step.


	7. Starting Over

Sirius was pacing anxiously back and forth across Dumbledore’s office. He stifled a yawn. The day was approaching noon, and he was physically and mentally exhausted. Having spent most of last night and this morning being interrogated by Alastor Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, several other Ministry officials, and the Minister of Magic himself, Sirius was in need of sleep. Come to think of it, he couldn’t remember the last time he had a good night’s sleep.

 _Over 12 years ago probably,_ Sirius thought. _Along with everything else I haven’t had. Well, except for a bath. That is one thing I can check off having done._

He ran his fingers through his now shoulder-length black hair, no longer matted with knots. After the Ministry was finished with their questioning, the first thing he had asked for was a bath. The steaming hot water and soap had done wonders. Gone was the mad man on the wanted posters scattered across the wizarding world. Buried deep underneath all the dirt and grime was still the handsome man Sirius had once been, albeit a little older now and a lot thinner. 

Sirius, finally having stopped pacing, collapsed in a chair. He yawned again. _I can’t wait to finally lay in a proper bed,_ he thought, stretching out his arms. _First, I have to see Remus._

All morning, Sirius’ thoughts kept drifting back to the sandy-haired man. He had been shocked when he saw Remus in the Shrieking Shack. Sirius had known Remus was teaching at Hogwarts, but reuniting with him last night had not been part of the plan. Then again, if Sirius was being honest with himself, there hadn’t really been much of a plan. His canine instincts had taken over when he saw Ron holding the rat. He had only one concern. Kill Peter. Of course, Sirius had not gotten the revenge he had set out for, but that was okay. Harry was right, James would not have wanted him and Remus to become murderers. And because of Harry, Sirius would soon be a free man.

Sirius glanced at the clock above Dumbledore’s desk. It was now half past noon. _Surely Remus is awake by now,_ Sirius thought. He had wanted to be by the man’s side when he awoke, but until word had been received of his official pardon, Sirius was told to stay in Dumbledore’s office. Since he couldn’t be there, Sirius had asked Dumbledore to be there instead. He had been worried that Padfoot may have hurt Moony in his attempt to distract the werewolf from Harry and his friends. He also knew Remus would be confused and afraid once he was awake. _Remus was always worried after a transformation_ , Sirius thought. _The thought of hurting someone horrified him._ He wanted Dumbledore there to reassure Remus that no harm had come to anyone, and Remus would need to know what had happened last night. He was bound to have questions. Sirius had just not expected it all to take this long. 

“Merlin, I hope Remus is okay," Sirius said, worry in his voice.

“Despite the pounding headache and the stiff muscles, surprisingly, I’m doing rather well," a voice said behind Sirius, causing him to jump. He had not heard anyone approach him.

Sirius looked up from his chair to see Remus smiling.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Actually, I thought you were asleep until I heard you speak," Remus said, coming to sit down in the chair next to Sirius.

“No, not sleeping. I was just lost in thought. Believe me though,” Sirius said, stifling another yawn, “I’d love a good kip.”

“I don’t want to keep you. You must be exhausted. We can do this later – after you’ve rested,” Remus said, concerned.

Sirius shook his head. “There will be plenty of time for sleep later. More importantly, how are you Remus? I was worried Padfoot may have been a tad too rough last night. Sorry about that,” Sirius said, gesturing towards Remus’ neck where Padfoot had sunk his teeth into.

Remus rubbed the spot and shrugged. “I’ve had worse nights.”

Sirius frowned. Remus had likely endured every transformation by himself. The thought of Remus being in pain and alone made Sirius’ heart ache. _Maybe he hasn’t been alone. He could have met someone._ Sirius didn’t like the thought of that either, though he knew it was selfish. He brushed the thought aside.

 “I always kept up with the lunar cycle, you know. I had a window in my cell. From there, I could see the moon. It was the only way I kept up with the days. That, and - well the tattoo. I don’t know if you remember... “ Sirius said quietly.

“I remember,” Remus replied, looking down at the floor.

Of course, Remus remembered. No matter how hard he tried to forget, those wonderful memories were there, reminding him what could have been.

It was after their seventh year of Hogwarts. They had just graduated and were celebrating in muggle London. Sirius, slightly drunk on whiskey but more so on love, drug Remus into a back-alley tattoo shop. _“For you, Moons,”_ Sirius had said, revealing his chest. There near his heart was a tattoo of the moon. Sirius had later charmed it to display the lunar cycle. _“I love you regardless of the moon’s phase, Remus. You’ll be with me wherever I go,"_ Sirius had said smiling, pressing a kiss to Remus’ lips.

“I never did forget a full moon. Except for last night," Sirius said, pulling Remus from his thoughts.

Remus’ eyes met Sirius’.

“Well, if it is any comfort, I forgot about it last night as well," Remus replied curtly. He looked back down at the floor, running his fingers through his curls.

Sirius frowned. He couldn’t imagine the pain Remus had endured for all these years. _Having to deal with the aftermath of James’ and Lily’s death. Believing Peter was murdered, and I the traitor._

“Remus, how - how have you been? I mean, can I – is it ok if I ask how your life has been since you know..." Sirius said, uncertain. “And tell me truthfully," he added.

Remus frowned. Several moments passed. Sirius was beginning to think he shouldn’t have asked when finally Remus let out a sigh.

“Honestly, things haven’t been well. As you know, I’ve been teaching here at Hogwarts but only for this past year. Before, I mostly worked odd jobs. Worked at a pub in Tullow. A bookshop in Aberdeen. Did some work for a muggle farmer in Cribyn. I took any job I could find. Never staying in one place for very long, and I avoided England like the plague.”

Remus fumbled nervously with his sleeves, gazing anywhere but Sirius.

“I know you’re wondering about Harry. I – I tried to get the Ministry to let me take him. I knew I already had a mark against me due to my lycanthropy. Still, I had hoped there might be a chance. By then, though, the Ministry was already suspicious of me, what with my relations with you. After extensive questioning, they determined that I was not involved with Lily’s and James’ murder. But they uh – they denied me custody of Harry. They stated that a werewolf was not a suitable figure to bring up a child. I spoke with Dumbledore to get him to reason with the Ministry, but his hands were tied. He believed it was best if Harry went to live with his relatives. I tried going to see him, but - well you know how Lily’s sister, Petunia, felt about magic. That was the final straw. I had lost Peter, Lily, James, even you... and now I had lost Harry," Remus said, voice going dry. He cleared his throat and continued.

“I packed up what I could and left our flat in Camden behind. I tried outrunning the past; tried forgetting. Still, the memories were always there. Haunting me during the day and the night. Taunting me with how things could have been. Sometimes I wasn’t sure how I would go on. Months went by in a blur. Yet, I kept going." Remus said solemnly.

Sirius reached out to grab Remus’ hand. He squeezed it gently. Remus looked up at Sirius. His grey eyes were full of sorrow.

“I’m so sorry, Remus. I should have been there for you and Harry,” Sirius said shakily. “I’ve had a lot of time to think – to dwell on what I did wrong. That night all I thought about was Peter. I was so angry for what he did. I didn’t stop to consider how my actions would impact your lives. I just... god, Remus. I fucked everything up. I ruined us.”

Sirius let go of Remus’ hand to wipe the tears that were beginning to run down his cheeks.

“Sirius, I –“ Remus began.

“No. Please, Remus. Let me finish. I have to say this.”

Sirius paused for a moment. He blinked away the moisture from his eyes.

“You were the absolute greatest thing in my life. I mean, I loved James as a brother and Lily like a sister. But you, Remus... you were everything to me. I loved you. I – I still love you, Moons. But my paranoia and jealousy – it destroyed us. I’d blame Peter for putting lies in my head, but honestly, I should have known better. You could never have betrayed us. Yet, I called you a spy. I remember how you looked after I accused you. You looked so broken, and I – I did that to you. My mistakes hurt so many people. People that I love. And I wish so badly I could change things, Remus. I ruined our lives..."

Sirius voice broke off. The guilt he had held onto for so long, weighed heavily on his mind. He lowered his head, allowing the tears to freely fall. He felt a hand on his back, rubbing in circles. Sirius exhaled, and looked over at Remus.

“I’ll understand if you can’t forgive me, Remus. After everything that happened... well, I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to speak to me again. But if you can forgive me, and if you want to, I’d love for us to start over."

Remus' eyes widened.

"I’m not saying we jump back in bed together or anything," Sirius hastily added. "Twelve years is a long time. I know we both are very different people now. But – Well, I’ve missed you Moony. I've missed our friendship. I want to get to know you again. I want to be a part of your life. If you’ll let me," Sirius said softly.

Remus was shocked, to say the least. On his walk over here, he had thought about all the different ways their reunion could go. He had expected there to be hurt feelings and tears, maybe even some shouting and stomping. If they were 12 years younger, they would have resolved things that way. Of course, they were no longer in their twenties, and as Sirius had said twelve years was a long time. Which was why Remus was startled to hear Sirius say he still loved him. That, Remus definitely had not expected, but the very thought made his heart soar. Maybe they hadn't changed as much after all. Remus took Sirius’ hand in his, and smiled sadly.

“Pads, we both made mistakes. We should have trusted one another instead of believing Peter. But we didn’t, and we can’t change that. We can’t fix the past. All we can do is continue forward, and try to make the future better.”

Remus was surprised to hear Dumbledore’s words coming from his own mouth. The headmaster was right, though. Dwelling on their mistakes would only make them more miserable, and Remus was done being miserable.

Sirius looked as if he wanted to argue, but Remus continued.

“I know it is easier said than done. Forgiving yourself and letting go of the guilt. I’ve carried it around for years, but together... well, I think we could.”

“Together?” Sirius heart stopped. _Remus can’t possibly mean what I think he means._ "As in together as friends, or... uhh... you know - "

Remus smiled shyly. “Well, you did say that you still love me. I’m not saying – god, I’m not ready for – but we could, uhh, we could take things slow. Get to know one another again. See where things go from there. I don't know, maybe this time things could turn out differently.”

“Are you sure?”

Remus nodded.

“As much as I tried, I could never stop loving you. And believe me, I tried. I felt horrible about it. I hated what you did. What I thought you had done," Remus amended. "But I never hated _you_. Not really."

Sirius eyes widened. He hadn't expected this. He hadn't even allowed himself to think about this. Remus still loving him. Remus still wanting him. He had come to accept he would never have this again. Yet, here he and Remus were.

Sirius was vaguely aware of Remus staring at him. He knew he should probably say something. Anything. He managed to open his mouth, but failed to form any words.

But it seemed as if Remus understood. He gave Sirius' hand a tight squeeze and continued. "I've thought about this, you know. What I would say to you if I ever got the chance." Remus paused. 

"And?" Sirius managed to say.

"Well, this wasn't how I imagined things going," Remus said with a small grin. 

"Neither did I," Sirius said softly.

"I've missed you, Pads." 

“I've missed you too, Moons."


	8. A Time for Change

Sirius knew that this was probably a terrible idea. Giving things a go with his ex-lover. The ex-lover who up until last night had believed he was a mass murdering criminal. The ex-lover who he hadn’t even trusted and had accused of being the spy. So much had gone wrong the last time. The fights. The suspicion. The secrets. Sirius wasn’t even sure if he was emotionally capable of being in a relationship with another being. But despite all the reasons telling Sirius this was a mistake, he wanted this. He wanted this so badly.

The years he and Remus were together felt like a lifetime ago. Many of his memories were distorted by the Dementors, Sirius sometimes wondered if it was some sort of fantasy he had dreamt up. All of it had honestly seemed too good to be true. Yet, here he was. Remus. Beautiful, wonderful Remus. In that moment, sitting in Dumbledore’s office, everything seemed right with the world.

 _I could never stop loving you._ Remus’ words were replaying in Sirius’ mind.

 _I’m not losing him again,_ Sirius thought. _It’ll be different this time._ I’ll make sure of it. _We’ll take things slow. Rekindle our friendship. And possibly – after some time – we could start again._

The two men continued staring at one another. Both smiling, but neither speaking. Shyness overtaking them, until –

“So, Harry," Sirius said, abruptly. “Tell me about him. You’ve had him in class?”

“I have," Remus said fondly. “Harry’s a remarkable young man. He’s extremely clever. A real natural when it comes to Quidditch, but you would know that.”

The corners of Sirius’ mouth quirked up.

“And despite his hardships, he is such a good person. You would think what with everything Harry has had to endure, he’d have a chip on his shoulder. But he doesn’t. He’s such a kind boy. Very respectful. Does have knack for mischief making, but no surprise there considering his father," Remus said smirking.

Sirius let out a barking laugh. “Too right you are. James was never one for following rules.”

Remus grinned. “He did manage to become Head Boy, though.”

“Well, you have to give Lily credit for that. James matured quite a bit after they began dating," Sirius said. 

Remus smiled sadly. His eyes were cast downward.

“You know, sometimes, I’m taken aback by how alike Harry and James are. Then other times, I’m reminded so much of Lily. They’d be so proud of him, Pads. If only they were here to see him.”

Sadness clouded Sirius’ features.

It was rather cruel that he and Remus got to spend so much time with James and Lily and Harry so little. But even the time Sirius was allotted had not been nearly long enough. He missed them both fiercely. Sirius could still picture the two. James standing tall, hands running through his already untidy, black hair and grinning mischievously. Lily, ever so beautiful with her dark red hair, bright green eyes, and warm smile. They would remain forever young in his mind.

“Are you very close with Harry?” Sirius asked. “Last night, in the shack, he said he trusted you. I didn’t know if he saw you as just his professor or more as a – I don’t know – perhaps like an uncle.”

Remus looked at Sirius, running a hand nervously through his hair.

“I’ve become close with Harry this year, but more so as a mentor than anything else. To tell you the truth, until last night, Harry uh – he didn’t know much about my friendship with either you or James.”

Sirius raised his eyebrows.

“You never told him?”

Remus shook his head.

“Why, Moony?” Sirius asked softly.

Remus averted his eyes and exhaled.

“I guess I was afraid. When I saw Harry for the first time this year, it was on the Hogwarts Express. The Dementors came on board, and Harry fainted. They have a terrible effect on him. I wanted to hug him - offer him some comfort. I mean I’m looking at him, and all I can think about is that little boy I used to hold and sing to sleep. Obviously, it would have startled him. He didn’t know me. It made me realize how much of his life I had missed. Harry was practically a stranger to me now.”

Remus paused.

“I had so many opportunities to tell him about his parents – about the Marauders, but I never did. I was afraid that if I got too close with Harry, and I had to leave again, it’d open those old wounds. I didn’t want to give Harry any false hope, in case I couldn’t stay in his life.”

Sirius throat suddenly felt tight. He looked steadily over at Remus.

“Well,” Sirius began, clearing his throat, “you won’t have to worry about that anymore. Harry is going to get the proper family he deserves. I’ve talked with Dumbledore about Harry’s living arrangements. I’m petitioning the Ministry for custody of Harry.”

Remus cocked his head to one side.

“What did Dumbledore say?” he asked.

Sirius made a face.

“Dumbledore believed Harry was better off staying with his aunt and uncle. I, however, didn’t agree with his reasonings,” Sirius replied curtly.

“What do you mean? Dumbledore told me as long as Harry could still call home where Lily’s blood dwells, he would be safe. It is Lily’s sacrifice that is protecting Harry. You don’t agree?” Remus asked uncertainly.

“Right, as long as Harry can call the Dursley’s place _home_ , he is safe. But I don’t believe Harry has ever been able to call that place home. The boy practically leapt at the chance to live with me when only an hour before he was ready to have me killed," Sirius said, anger rising with his tone.

Sirius paused, taking a deep breath. _Don’t go getting pissed at Remus. This isn’t his fault._ Steadying his voice, he continued. 

“And, if my memory stands correct, a blood bond requires the living blood-relative to take the saved person into their home willingly. You remember Lily’s sister and her oaf of a husband – Vincent or something. Can you honestly tell me that you believe they took Harry in willingly?” Sirius asked, looking at Remus intently.

Remus pinched the bridge of his nose and considered everything Sirius had said. He sighed.

“No, you’re right. They might have taken him in, but they didn’t do it willingly. I highly doubt Harry has ever been shown love in that house. I remember Lily telling me what Petunia thought of ‘our kind’. Freaks is what she called us. I was foolish to believe Petunia would take Harry in and raise him as her own. God, I’ve been so daft,” Remus said, rolling his eyes in a self-deprecating manner.

Sirius frowned and squeezed Remus’ shoulder.

“Not your fault, Moony. Don’t go blaming yourself, okay?”

Remus looked at Sirius and nodded slightly.

 “So, I’m assuming you explained all of this to Dumbledore," Remus asked.

“I have.”

“And his response?”

“Initially, he was hesitant to agree with me. He believed Petunia was the only option at keeping Harry safe. That is until I gave him an alternative one," Sirius said.

“Which is?”

“Grimmauld Place," Sirius responded matter-of-factly.

Remus eyes widened in shock.

“I know what you’re thinking, Moony,” Sirius added quickly, “but the house is unplottable. The place has every protection enchantment on it imaginable. Keeping people's noses out of their business was a specialty of the Blacks. And I'm surprised to hear myself say this, but lucky for me I was never properly disowned. Since I'm the last Black heir, the house and the vault are mine."

Remus stared at Sirius. His face held a worried expression. He didn't like the idea of Sirius going back to live in that dreadful house. He was afraid being back there would stir up terrible memories for Sirius. The man had far too many of those with just Azkaban alone.

“Sirius, no. You can’t go back there. You hated that place. When you left, you said you’d never step foot in that house again.”

Sirius smiled, though there was sadness in his eyes.

“I know, Remus, but it’ll be different this time," Sirius said gently. “I’ll fix the place up. It’s bound to need some work, having been unoccupied all these years. New paint. Get rid of all the dark objects lurking about. There may be house elf still there. Might get rid of him too. It won’t feel so suffocating once I’ve done all of that. Besides, my parents - good riddance – are no longer there. I’ll have Harry with me, and,” Sirius paused, “well – I was hoping you’d come too,” he finished nervously.

Sirius didn’t think it was possible for Remus’ eyes to get any wider.

“You want me to move in with you? Ah – I thought we agreed on taking things slow," Remus said.

“We did,” Sirius nodded.

“And you think moving in with one another is taking things slow?” Remus asked skeptically.

“We’ve lived together before as friends," Sirius pointed out.

“Yes, when we were back in Hogwarts. And as I recall, that ended with us snogging each other senseless in Slughorn’s supply closet our fifth year.”

Sirius let out a barking laugh, causing Remus’ mouth to quirk up slightly.

“I had forgotten about that. Anyway, it’s not like we’ll be sharing a room. We’ll have separate bedrooms. In fact, you can have a bedroom on an entirely different floor if you’d like," Sirius suggested, his voice going soft. “Just – Please Moony. I’d love to have you there. Harry should get to know both of his godfathers.”

Remus furrowed his brow.

“You know that was never legal - “

“Only because of the Ministry’s bigoted views on werewolves,” Sirius said, interrupting. “James and Lily appointed both of us as Harry’s guardians. If anything happened to them, we were to take care of Harry together. You’re as much of Harry’s godfather as I am, Remus," Sirius said firmly.

Remus sighed.

“What’s the Ministry think? You said you spoke to Dumbledore. I suppose you spoke to Fudge as well while he was here. What did he have to say?” Remus asked.

Sirius thought back to his encounter with Fudge earlier. Fudge had gone rather pale listening to Sirius’ testimony. _Too busy worrying what this will do to his reputation,_ Sirius thought.

“To tell you the truth, Fudge wasn’t too pleased this morning. I’d imagine the headline “Mass Murderer Proven Innocent” isn’t going to set so well with most people, considering the Ministry threw me in Azkaban without a trial. So, I believe Fudge is going to want to make sure I stay quiet about my disapproval of the Ministry,” Sirius said, smirking.

Suddenly, Remus found himself laughing.

“I would have loved to have seen Fudge's face once he found out the truth," Remus said, choking back laughter.

“Pale as a ghost," Sirius said, snickering himself.

“I’d imagine so. Can’t have anything ruining his image," Remus replied.

“Oh no, mustn’t have that.” Sirius said in a mocking manner.

They both grinned at each other. Then Sirius leaned forward a bit and looked steadily into Remus’ face.

“You never did give me an answer, Remus," Sirius said softly. “Will you come live with Harry and me?”

Remus averted his attention from Sirius. Staring at anything else in the room, but at the man sitting next to him. He remained silent for several minutes. Finally, he opened his mouth to say something -

A knock at the door was heard, interrupting Remus before he had the chance to speak. Both men turned their heads to see Dumbledore walking into his office.

“Afternoon gentlemen. Sorry to interrupt, but Cornelius Fudge is here to see you, Sirius," Dumbledore said, smiling kindly at the two.

“Thank you, sir,” Sirius said.

He and Remus stood up. Remus, about to head towards the door, felt his sleeve being tugged. He turned around to see Sirius staring at him.

“Think about my offer. Okay Moony?” Sirius asked. His grey eyes were warm and gentle.

Squeezing Sirius’ shoulder, Remus nodded.

“I will, Pads. I promise,” he said.

Remus let go of Sirius shoulder and began to make his way out of Dumbledore’s office.

“Oh, and Remus,” Dumbledore said, stopping Remus in his tracks. The headmaster's eyes no longer had the gentle twinkle in them. He looked grave as he spoke to Remus. “could you please wait for me out in the corridor. I’d like a word with you. There’s something we must discuss.”

Sirius looked over at Remus, concerned. Remus’ heart stilled. What did Dumbledore want to talk to him about?

He merely shook his head in agreement, and forced a smile on his face.

“Sure sir, that won’t be a problem.”


	9. Two Godfathers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished this chapter. Wasn't expecting it to end up being so long, but the words kept coming to me. Really hope you all enjoy.

It was mid-afternoon and drizzling steadily outside. Remus was currently holed away in his chamber, packing away the few belongings he had. The pitter patter of the rain could be heard as it hit against the window near his bed. He looked out onto the castle’s dreary grounds. The bright sky of earlier, had since turned a dull grey. Remus sighed. The weather seemed to fit his mood perfectly.

Dumbledore had broken the news to Remus once he had left the headmaster’s office. Today, while the Slytherins were at lunch, Snape had let slip about Remus’ lycanthropy. The news had hit Remus like a ton of bricks. Dumbledore immediately had assured Remus he could continue his role as professor. He went on to say he would defend his decision to anyone who questioned Remus’ appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Remus had simply stood there and nodded – half listening to what the headmaster had to say. He knew once the parents heard their children were being taught by a werewolf, the owls would begin arriving with howlers. The last thing he wanted was to be a burden on the headmaster. No, he would resign. It was the best option. The glares he had got from a few students he passed had only confirmed his decision.

Remus idly flicked his wand. The stack of books sitting on his nightstand hovered in the air and landed with a thud in his trunk. His trousers, jumpers and robes flew out of the wardrobe and folded themselves neatly on top of the books. Remus picked up his Victrola and inspected the now bare room. _That should be everything_ , he thought. _Now just need to clean out my desk._ Remus waved his wand once more. His tattered trunk closed with a snap and trailed Remus down the stairs that led into his classroom.

Remus set his things down in the corner, and went to go sit at his desk one last time. He looked out at the empty classroom and sighed. He had always aspired to be a professor, even back when he was a student. Remus knew, of course, that his chances of becoming one were quite slim. That is why he was shocked when Dumbledore had written to him last year, asking him to come teach.

Remus had been living in a rundown cottage out in the countryside of Wales. With his pantry running low and work becoming increasingly rare, that letter could not have come at a better time. But the job hadn’t solely provided Remus three hearty meals a day and a warm bed. No, the job had also provided Remus a sense of self-worth. It had been a long time since he had felt valuable. Teaching had given him a sense of purpose, and it saddened him to leave. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever get an opportunity to teach again.

Remus began clearing away papers when he noticed the Marauder’s Maps still lay open on the edge of his desk.

 _Foolish of me to leave it lying out_ , Remus thought. _If only I had brought it with me last night, Snape wouldn’t have found us._

Remus peered at the parchment closely, watching the labeled dots move about the castle. Many of the student dots were either in the library or in their common rooms, avoiding the nasty weather outside. He noticed a dot labeled “Sirius Black” was in the headmaster’s office, pacing. Two dots labeled “Albus Dumbledore” and “Cornelius Fudge” were there as well.

 _They are probably discussing Harry’s custody_ , Remus thought.

Dots labeled “Ron Weasley” and “Hermione Granger” were sitting side by side in the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry, though, was not with them. _That’s odd._ Remus continued looking over the map. Finally, he located a dot labeled “Harry Potter” moving quickly down through the corridors of the castle towards his classroom. _He must have heard._ A moment later, Remus heard running footsteps in the corridor outside, then tentative steps inside the classroom.

“Hello, Harry,” Remus said, finally turning his attention away from the map.

He looked up at Harry’s puzzled face. The boy was slightly out of breath. His black hair was tousled, and his glasses were askew.

“I saw you coming," Remus clarified, pointing to the map.

“I overheard Lavender and Parvati talking about you being a werewolf. Is it true? Did Snape tell everyone?” Harry asked, his words rushed. His eyes were wide with concern.

Remus smiled sadly at Harry.

“I’m afraid it is Harry. It seems as if the events of last night were – ah – they were a bit too much for Severus to handle. I think Sirius being pardoned was really the last straw for him. He – uh - _accidently_ let slip my condition at lunch," Remus replied.

Remus noticed Harry look over at his trunk and suitcases.

“You’ve been sacked?” Harry cried out, startling a couple of Ravenclaw students standing outside Remus’ classroom. They had previously been whispering quietly amongst themselves.

Remus grimaced and waved his wand at the door, causing it to slam shut. He turned his attention back towards Harry.

“I have not been sacked, Harry. I am, however, resigning,” Remus said.

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Remus interrupted before he could do so.

“Harry, why don’t you sit down," Remus said gently, conjuring up a chair.

Harry seemed to want to argue, but he sat down next Remus.

“Why?” Harry asked immediately. “You said Dumbledore and the others teachers have known all along. What difference does it makes that students know now?”

Remus smiled sadly and shook his head. _Oh, to be young and naïve of the prejudices of the world._

“Harry,” Remus began carefully, “there are people, like Dumbledore, who take no issue with me being a werewolf. They see beyond my condition. Sadly, not everyone feels the same. Many believe werewolves are dark, dangerous creatures who shouldn’t be allowed in our society, let alone be allowed to teach. Once parents realize a werewolf has been teaching their children, the owls will soon arrive. They will not want a dark creature at Hogwarts.”

“But you’re the best teachers I’ve ever had. You can’t go!” Harry exclaimed.

Remus felt his throat go tight. He was truly touched by Harry’s words. He blinked back the moisture in his eyes and smiled.

“Thank you, Harry. You have no idea what that means to me. I have enjoyed having you in class this past year, but I’m afraid my time as your teacher is over.”

“But Dumbledore could- “

“Dumbledore has already risked enough on my behalf. Besides, people like me – well, let’s just say I’m used to it by now," Remus said solemnly.

Harry frowned.

“Why do you look so miserable, Harry? If anything, you should be very proud of yourself. You helped uncover the truth. You stopped both Sirius and I from becoming murderers. And because you were able to catch Peter, Sirius’ name was cleared. You showed a great amount of bravery last night. I don’t believe I could be any prouder of you than I am right now.” Remus looked steadily at Harry. “And from what I have been told, you produced a full corporeal Patronus down at the lake. Do you know how impressive that is? There are some grown wizards who can’t even produce one.”

Harry fidgeted in his seat. He seemed to be a bit uncomfortable hearing praises from Remus.

“Only because I had you as a teacher," Harry mumbled.

Remus shook his head and sighed.

“Harry, what happened last night was you, and you alone. You are an incredible young wizard. Your parents would be so proud of you. It saddens me that they can’t be here, and I regret that I haven’t been there for you until this year. Even then, I’ve been – distant.”

Harry looked at Remus curiously.

 _Now or never, Lupin_ , Remus thought to himself.

“Harry, there are many things that you should have known – that I should have told you really. Please, forgive me for waiting so long. Just the timing – I never could find an appropriate moment. But I’ve wanted to so badly.”

Remus looked over at Harry. The boy’s brow was furrowed in confusion.

“Right, getting to the point," Remus said more so to himself. “As you know, I was very close with your father. We became mates our first year at Hogwarts. And Lily – well she wasn’t too fond of your father or Sirius those first few years. She came around eventually. We, however, were very close from the start.”

Remus smiled fondly. He looked as if he was thinking of something from the past.

“Our friendship continued on even after leaving Hogwarts. Sirius, James, and myself, we all shared a flat for a short while. Well, that is until James moved in with Lily," Remus laughed softly, remembering the day. “I was there on their wedding day. And when they announced they were expecting you. I was even there when you were born, Harry.”

Harry’s eyes widened.

“You were there when I was born?” Harry asked in surprise.

“I was. All of us were. Sirius, myself, and even – Peter," Remus said with a scowl. He paused for a brief second and continued. “I honestly don’t know who was more excited about you - your parents or Sirius and myself. You see, we had experienced so much loss from the war. We were surrounded by despair. Those were dark times, Harry. Very dark times. But when Lily and James found out they were expecting, well it gave us all hope. And once we laid eyes on you – this beautiful little baby boy - all we wanted to do was protect you. We wanted to make the world a better place for you to grow up in. You gave us something worth fighting for, Harry. We all tried our best to keep you safe.”

A warm, pleasant feeling swelled in Harry’s chest. He looked at Remus and smiled. The he realized something.

“Professor, you must have known who I was on the train," Harry said hesitantly.

A pained expression appeared on Remus’ face.

“I did, Harry. Believe me, I wanted to tell you then that I was a friend of your parents. I should have, but it’d been so long since I had last saw you. You didn’t recognize me, and I didn’t want to spring all of this on you. Especially since I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to stay in your life for long. My – uh – living situation has never been stable. I didn’t want to come into your life and only have to leave again.”

“That’s not going to happen now, is it?” Harry asked quietly. Concern obvious on his face.

Remus quickly leaned forward and grasped Harry’s shoulder.

“No, Harry," Remus said immediately, shaking his head. “I promise you this is not goodbye. I may be resigning, but I’m here to stay.”

Harry nodded. Remus’ words seemed to have brought the boy some comfort.

“I heard Sirius mention it to you last night, about you coming to live with him. He’s been talking to Dumbledore and the Minister about it. I’m aware Dumbledore has insisted you stay with your aunt and uncle, but Sirius has made a good argument on why he should get custody of you.”

Remus paused. He was sure Harry would be okay knowing he was also his godfather. He just didn’t know if by telling Harry, it would out Sirius and him in the process. It wasn’t as if he was ashamed of their once relationship. He just knew it was a lot to take in for a thirteen year old. Your professor, who happens to be a werewolf, also is your godfather. Oh and by the way, he and your other godfather, who is not a convicted murderer, used to be madly in love. Remus frowned. It was a lot to take in, and having faced rejection his entire life, he couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

 _Harry isn’t going to immediately assume Sirius and I are gay just because we are both his godfathers,_ Remus assured himself. _Hell, James didn’t even know until he walked in on us shagging, and he was older than Harry. Even then, he had accepted us. Harry will too._ Remus ran a hand nervously through his hair. He swallowed and continued.

“Lily and James wanted to make sure you would be well looked after and loved if anything were to happen to them. Before you were born, they decided who would be your guardians. As you know, they appointed Sirius as your godfather, but they uh – they wanted me to be your godfather as well. Now, of course, because of my condition they could never legally make me your guardian, but amongst ourselves it was known that Sirius and I were both your godfathers.”  

Harry sat there for a moment, letting the new information sink in. A smile slowly formed on his face.

“So, I wasn’t supposed to be raised by the Dursleys?”

The tension Remus had felt disappeared. He smiled sadly at Harry and placed a comforting hand back on the boy’s shoulder.

“Absolutely not. Sirius and I were supposed to raise you, and if given the chance, we would have. We have loved you since the day you were born, Harry. You are the son of our two best friends. You’re family. I am so sorry for allowing you to grow up with those people. I hope now, you can have a proper home.”

Harry couldn’t remember ever being told he was loved. Embarrassingly, he felt his throat ache from wanting to cry. He cleared his throat and looked down at his feet.

“Besides the Dursleys, I didn’t know I had any other family. I didn’t even know I had a godfather until this year. And now, I have two.” Harry still feeling embarrassed, rushed through the next part. “I’m just – I’m really glad that I get to have a real family now.”

Remus blinked and rubbed at his eyes. 

“Me too, Harry," Remus said with a watery smile.

A few moments passed before either said anything.

“So, what will you do now, Professor?” Harry asked nervously. 

“You can call me Remus, Harry. I’m no longer your professor,” Remus said kindly. “And actually, Sirius has – uh – he’s asked that I come live with you two. I believe I just may take him up on that offer. As long as that is okay with you," Remus added quickly.

Harry’s entire face lit up. He nodded eagerly.

“Yeah, of course. Does Sirius have a house? Where will we be living?”

Remus smiled at Harry’s excitement.

“12 Grimmauld Place. It’s in London, in a muggle neighborhood. Sirius grew up there. The house used to belong to his parents, but they have since passed. No one has lived there for years. So, I suspect Sirius will need some help fixing the place up. Hopefully, it will be ready to move in by the next week or so, just as soon as term ends.”

“Do you really think Dumbledore is going to let me come live with you?” Harry asked.

Remus could hear the worry in the boy’s voice. He gave Harry a reassuring smile.

“I do, Harry. Grimmauld Place is very secure. Dumbledore will make sure of that. And, because of Sirius’ wrongful imprisonment, the Ministry will want to fully compensate him, so as to – ah –  to ensure nothing unfavorable is said about their handling of Sirius’ case. I doubt they will deny him custody of you.”

Harry nodded. Then the following thought occurred to him.

“Prof – uh – Remus, does Sirius know about you resigning? Just, well, maybe he could convince the Ministry –“

Remus laughed, interrupting Harry.

“I’d imagine we’d have heard Sirius shouts by now if he knew," Remus said smirking. Harry gave a brief chuckle. “But I know what you’re going to say, Harry. No, I don’t think the Ministry would approve of me staying on at Hogwarts either. They don’t exactly have a great opinion on werewolves.”

Harry shrugged sheepishly.

“I thought I’d try.”

“I know, and I appreciate it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I do have a bit more packing to do,” Remus said kindly, standing up from his chair. He noticed the Marauder’s Map still laying on his desk.

“But before you go, Harry. Here," Remus said, handing the map over to Harry. “Since I am no longer your professor, I do not feel guilty about giving this back to you. I’m sure you’ll put it to good use. Just - try and not get into too much trouble, okay?”

Remus winked at Harry, causing him to grin.

Harry placed the map in his back pocket, and began to walk towards the door. Then, suddenly he stopped and turned back around to look at Remus.

“Yes, Harry?” Remus asked, eyebrows raised.

“I – uh – I wanted to thank you," Harry replied.

“For what?”

“Well, just for helping me this year with the Patronus, and telling me about my mum and dad. You’ve been a great professor, and I – uh – I’m glad to have you as my godfather.”

Remus’ face did something complicated, a mix of happiness and surprise. He stood there, obviously trying to think of how to respond.

“There’s no need to thank me, Harry. It has been a pleasure getting to know you this year," Remus finally said. “And I’m very proud to have you as my godson.”


	10. Disagreements in Defense

Quill in hand, Remus sat at his desk finishing his letter of resignation to Dumbledore. An hour had passed since Harry had left. In that time, Remus had managed to get most of his affairs in order. His desk was cleaned out. The classroom was now devoid of the books and unusual artifacts that had adorned the shelves. The end of the year exams had even been prepared. Remus had intended on having his students navigate through a series of obstacles that would test their Defense skills. But with term not ending for another two weeks, and he not being here to administer the course, a written exam would have to do.

Remus dipped his quill into the ink once more and signed his name to the bottom of the letter. Rolling the parchment into a cylinder, he muttered a sealing charm over it.

 _There,_ he thought, satisfied. _Now all that I have left to do is inform Dumbledore of my decision._

With popping joints and a groan over stiff limbs, Remus slowly arose from his chair. He rubbed his sore muscles and grimaced. Having grown accustomed to the Wolfsbane potion, this moon had taken its toll on Remus’ body. Instead of resting, foolishly, he had pushed his body to its limit with all the packing he had done that afternoon. He would have to have Sirius’ help to carry everything out.

 _Shit, Sirius_.

Remus suddenly remembered Sirius wasn’t aware of what had taken place at the Slytherin table today. Upon thinking about it, Remus wasn’t too keen on telling him about it either. If last night’s encounter with Snape was any indication, Sirius was likely to storm down to the dungeons and hex the greasy-haired bastard the minute he learned what the man had done.

 _That’s just what I need,_ Remus thought. _Snape telling everyone about how he was viciously attacked by the werewolf’s ex-boyfriend. That will sure give the students more to gossip about._

Remus rolled his eyes. He was not in the mood nor did he have the energy to prevent a full-blown fight from ensuing. But he did not have time to contemplate how to prevent Sirius from behaving like – well, behaving like himself, for at that moment the classroom door flew open.

In stepped the black-haired man, holding what appeared to be an official looking document and looking positively elated.

“Remus, you are looking at a free man," Sirius said, grinning widely.

He sauntered towards the front of the classroom and handed the document over for Remus to read.

“It’s an official Ministry Pardon, delivered by Fudge himself,” Sirius said before Remus even had a chance to begin reading it.

Sirius’ excitement was infectious as it passed quickly to Remus. He wasted no time in unrolling the scroll and scanning over its contents. It was one line that caught his attention and made his heart still.

_As the Minister of Magic, I, Cornelius Oswald Fudge, hereby acquit Sirius Orion Black of all charges._

He read the line several times before the realization started to sink in. It was one thing to be told Sirius would be pardoned, but it was entirely different to have the proof spelled out in front of him in black and white. A smile crept onto his lips.

“I know," Sirius said, as if he could hear Remus’ thoughts. “I can hardly believe it myself. It all feels so surreal. The years I spent locked away in Azkaban, never once did I imagine myself stepping outside those walls again. Then, when I did, the idea of being a free man was just – well it was an idea. I’ve spent this past year constantly running, hiding, looking over my shoulder in fear of being caught. And now - I’m free, thanks to Harry. If he hadn’t caught Peter -” Sirius made a face. “I’d hate to think what might have happened.”

 _If Peter had escaped or if Sirius had been captured last night._ Remus made a face as well. He did not want to think about what could easily have been Sirius’ fate if the events of last night had gone differently.

“What’s to happen to Peter?” Remus asked.

“He’s currently being held at the Ministry. They have a trial set for next week. I’m to testify. They may ask you as well. Honestly though, the whole thing is just a formality. Ministry got all the evidence they needed last night. Once the trial is over, he’ll be whisked off to Azkaban where he belongs," Sirius said.

Remus nodded slightly. Upon discovering Peter had betrayed them all, Remus had been overcome with revenge. In hindsight, the murderous rage that had coursed through his veins was largely due to the wolf’s instincts being so close to the surface. Now being of sound mind, Remus wasn’t so sure if he wished Azkaban upon Peter. Make no mistake, he wanted the man to pay for his crimes, but Azkaban was a horrific place, reeking of despair. Dementors lurking around every corner, feeding of your happiness and leaving you with only your worst memories. It was inhumane. Did Peter deserve that fate? Did anyone?

“Do you not agree?” Sirius asked, sensing Remus’ discontent.

Remus looked at Sirius and shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not sure if anyone deserves Azkaban, honestly,” He said quietly. “I’m furious you had to endure that horrid place. I don’t think I could wish it upon my worst enemy.”

Sirius stared at Remus, a bit dumbstruck. He shook his head and smiled sadly. “You’re a good man, Remus. A much better one than I am.”

“Sirius – “ Remus began.

Sirius waved a hand. “It’s fine, Remus. Really. I understand.” At that, Remus knew the conversation about Peter was over, for now.

Sirius began to walk around the classroom; his hand gliding across the desks as he surveyed the room.

“So,” Sirius began, drawling out the word, “this is your classroom.” He turned his attention back to Remus. “Knew you’d become a professor. No doubt you’re a brilliant one. I’d imagine your students think so as well.” Sirius leant against a desk and smiled. “Professor Lupin. That does have a nice sound to it, doesn’t it?”

Remus heart sank. Becoming a professor had been as much as his dream as it had been Sirius’. Now, for Sirius to learn Remus was resigning because of Snape – well, it was safe to say this would not be an easy conversation to have.

“Sirius, there’s –“

“I’m happy for you, Moony," Sirius said, having not heard Remus. “I really am. I remember how badly you wanted to teach. I’m glad to see you got your chance.”

Sirius’ words caused Remus’ heart to sink even further, if that was even possible. _How am I supposed to tell him I am resigning after hearing that?_

“Thanks, Pads," Remus said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Sirius nodded, but his attention was caught on the bags laying over to the side. He quirked a brow. “What’s with the suitcases, Moony?” Are you that eager to move in with me?” Sirius asked with a devilish grin.

Remus felt his face flush. How was it possible for Sirius to still have such an effect on him? _For sake, get a grip on yourself._

“Uh, no. Not exactly.” Remus said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. _Merlin, Lupin. Where’s your Gryffindor courage?_

Sirius gave him a curious look.

Remus sighed, preparing for an outburst. “It seems that during lunch today, my condition was accidently revealed. Most of the school knows now about me being a werewolf.”

He avoided Sirius’ gaze. _He doesn’t have to know it was Snape._

Sirius eyes widened. “What – How? You said last night only Dumbledore and the staff knew about your condition. And it’s not like Harry and his friends would have told anyone,” Sirius muttered.

Remus could practically see the gears turning in Sirius’ head.

“I don’t understand," Sirius said. “Who would have said something? Why would anyone even - Snape.” The baffled expression on his face turned to one of sudden understanding.

_Fuck._

“It was Snape. Wasn’t it?” Sirius urged, anger rising in his voice.

Remus grimaced. “Yes, it was Snape. But Sirius - don’t go making a scene or anything. Okay?”

“Don’t go making a scene? Bloody hell, Remus. That wasn’t any accident. That arsehole willingly outed you to the entire school. You expect me to what - just sit here?” Sirius demanded.

“Yes, that is exactly what I expect you to do, Sirius. Though it may make you feel better, hexing Snape isn’t going to solve anything. And what do you think the Ministry will say once they learn you’ve attacked a Hogwarts professor? Think they’ll find you as a suitable guardian for Harry?” Remus warned.

Sirius deflated at once, shame etched across his features. He slumped down into a chair.

“No. You’re right," He said gruffly. “I’m sorry. That was foolish of me.”

“S’okay.”

“So, is that is why Dumbledore wanted to speak to you earlier? To let you know you’re out of a job?” Sirius asked.

Remus frowned. “No, I’ve haven’t been let go - “

“Then why are – “

“I’m resigning.”

“What? Why?” Sirius cried out, jumping to his feet.

“No one is going to want a werewolf teaching at Hogwarts. The Ministry wasn’t keen on the idea in the first place," Remus said.

“So? The Ministry hasn’t any say at Hogwarts. That’s Dumbledore," Sirius interjected.

“Yes, and once complaints begin to arrive and people start writing to the Ministry, it will put Dumbledore in a difficult position. He’s risked enough on my behalf.”

“So, that’s it? You’re just going to walk away?”

“I’m not walking away," Remus replied hotly. He was becoming increasingly irritated.

“Your bags are packed, and your classroom has been cleared out,” Sirius said exasperated.

“I’m being practical.” Remus snapped.

Sirius snorted his disapproval.

“Well what else do you expect me to do, Sirius? You know as well as I do parents are not going to tolerate a werewolf teaching their children. And honestly, I can’t say I blame them after last night," Remus exclaimed.

Sirius rolled his eyes. “Oh, would you stop being the bloody martyr for once. Anyone would have forgotten – “

“But it wasn’t just anyone, was it?” Remus spat. “If I had bitten any of you-” Remus shut his eyes for a moment, then opened them. Fear was evident in his expression. “It can’t happen again," Remus said firmly.

Sirius shook his head and opened his mouth, then proceeded to shut it. He repeated this several times before finally speaking in a calm voice.

“What happened to you, Moony?” Instantly regretting his choice of words, Sirius amended: “I mean, I know what happened. I left. All of us - gone. James and Lily. Even Peter. But I –  I remember how determined you used to be. So ready to change the world. Always talking about advancing the rights of Dark Creatures. Did the past thirteen years harden you so that you’ve forgotten?” Sirius paused and moved forward to grip Remus’ arm. “I’m sorry for not having been there to remind you of who you truly are. But I’m here now, and I’ll be damned if I let you walk away because of the opinions of others. You are too great of a person, Remus. Your lycanthropy is only a part of you, and if people can’t see that then – fuck ‘em. You have every right to be here, and its bullshit there are those who think otherwise.”

Remus shifted nervously under Sirius’ gaze. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew Sirius was right. There had been a point in his life when he had been keen on fighting the injustices that plagued those with lycanthropy. But having been beaten down by prejudice, poverty, and everything else that came with being a werewolf, alas, Remus had grown tired of fighting. Instead he had come to accept this life. He took muggle jobs far below his skill level. He uprooted his life every few months once the jobs ultimately ended due to missing too many days of work. He never allowed anyone to become too close in fear of them finding out his secret. He hadn’t always felt this way. He used to be brave and not as concerned with the opinions of others. Life hadn’t been so difficult when he had friends who accepted him, furry little problem and all.  But they were all dead – well as good as. So, Remus spent nearly twelve years alone, afraid of what would happen if his secret were to ever be found out. And even now, with Sirius here, he still was afraid to face the backlash that was sure to come.

“I can’t,” Remus finally said softly.

Sirius opened his mouth to argue, but Remus cut him off.

“I know you think I should stay, Sirius. I want to, believe me, but I – I just can’t. Not now. Not when everyone knows. Students who I have enjoyed having in class, have glared at me in the halls. There have even been a few who I’ve caught whispering outside this classroom. And before you say anything, no, they weren’t all Slytherins," Remus said, causing Sirius to shut his mouth. “It’ll only get worse, you know, once the parents find out. If I were to remain as the Defense professor, my life would only become more difficult.” Remus paused. “I’m resigning, Sirius. As soon as I speak with Dumbledore, I’m leaving. I know you don’t agree, but that’s my decision," Remus said firmly.

Sirius stood there in silence, mulling over Remus’ words. “I guess you’ll be needing some help with your things then," Sirius said at last.

Remus was surprised. He had been prepared for Sirius to continue arguing. He hadn't expected the man to resign and offer to help him move. Today was definitely a peculiar day.

“Uh – yeah, that would be great. Thanks,” Remus replied.

Sirius smiled in return. “So, um, where’s your fireplace?” he asked. “I had the Ministry hook Grimmauld Place back up to the Floo Network. I, uh, I can just start carrying your things over. If that’s okay with you," Sirius suggested.

Remus nodded. “Yeah, thats fine. But only if you still want me to move in.” He quickly added.

“Of course, I still want you to, Moons," Sirius replied.

Remus gestured towards the stairs. “There’s a fireplace in my quarters. Floo powder should be on the mantle. I’ll just go speak to Dumbledore then.”

Sirius nodded. “Once I’ve finished here, I thought I’d go see Harry. I haven’t had the chance to talk to him yet, but I – I want to tell him about the pardon and everything.”

Remus could hear the nervousness in Sirius voice. He put a hand on his back in reassurance.

“I spoke with Harry earlier. He was thrilled to hear about us moving to Grimmauld Place. He’ll be glad to see you, Pads.”

Sirius’ entire face lit up. “Great. That’s great," Sirius said, mainly to himself. “Well, I guess I’ll get to it then. I’ll see you at, uh, at our new home.”

Remus smiled. _Our new home. We’ll all be a proper family, now. One that Harry deserves._

“Oh and Remus.”

Sirius’ voice pulled Remus from his thoughts. He looked up to see Sirius holding a few of his bags and standing at the top of the stairs.

“I’m not sure what state the place is in. So, do be careful if I’m not back when you go to floo over. Who knows what could be lurking about," Sirius paused then added: “You know, we really could have our work cut out for us.”

Remus laughed. “I think we’ll manage. We've dealt with worse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I was beginning to worry I'd never finish this chapter. Sorry for not updating sooner; I struggled writing this chapter. I hope it doesn't show. As you can tell, I have taken liberties with the timeline. I found it to be a bit too convenient Remus resigning at the end of term. That is why there are still two weeks left. As always, thanks for reading.


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